Revive-L5: 3D Printed Lumbar Artificial Disc

There is a need to develop a long-term, minimally invasive treatment for patients experiencing a degenerative disk disease or injury, such as spondylolysis or a herniated disc, in order to relieve pain in the lumbar spine and restore movement and stability.

A pressing need exists for the development of a sustainable, minimally invasive treatment option for patients with degenerative disk disease or injuries such as spondylosis or a herniated disc, in order to relieve pain in the lumbar and sacral regions of the spine and thereby restore movement and stability. The designers/developers propose the following specifications for the prototype of an artificial disk, slated for delivery on the final day of class in April of 2024.

• Allows for the replacement of the L5-S1 spinal joint, thereby enabling adjacent spinal vertebrae to press together. 
• Proper integration is ensured to prevent dislocation of the artificial disk to unintended areas of the body. 
• Proper integration to maintain possible inward curves towards the spine.
• Sustains shear and translational forces further than compression.
• Allows for natural range of motion including flexion and extension in the sagittal plane, lateral bending in the frontal plane, and rotation and compression in the axial plane.
• Restricts translation and sliding of the disk beyond the normal range of motion and prevents vibration; thereby able to bear the load of the body. 
• Is composed of a material that is biocompatible and possesses elastic resistance to optimally absorb a wide variety of shocks reverberating throughout the spine.