Challenge

Medical devices start up, Axis Spine Technologies, asked us to support them in realising their vision to democratise patient-specific surgery. We developed an innovative spinal-implant system which could radically improve ALIF surgery for all involved: surgeons, patients, sales representatives, and hospital staff. 



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Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion, or ALIF, is the medical procedure devised to correct lower spine ailments such as disc degeneration, spinal instability, and spine deformities. It is a complex procedure and involves approaching the spine from the front of the body to remove degenerative discs and replace them with an appropriate implant, containing bone-graft.

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Insights

Following ethnographic research and many hours of in-theatre observation, it became clear that the implant was just a small piece of the puzzle. We had to reimagine every part of the process to deliver an exceptional solution, tailored to surgeons and patients alike.

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Outcome

We conceived an elegant and highly-differentiated modular ALIF cage, allowing surgeons to assemble a bespoke implant for every individual case. The structure of the cage paired with a reduced inventory, helps surgeons to specify cage footprint, height, lordotic, and coronal angles to ensure a perfect fit, even if opinions change during surgery.

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The adaptability of the device allows not only for a tailored intervention fit to the particular needs of a patient, but also a far simpler and less traumatic process than traditional solutions had historically allowed for - both factors leading to faster recovery times and better long-term health outcomes.