Cutting through the complexities of spinal surgery to reinvent the future of healthcare.

Allowing for safer, simpler, and more successful, in surgery procedures because of the greater flexibility that the system affords.

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. 



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.

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.

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.

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.

Client

Axis Spine

Capabilities

Design Ethnography

Product Design

Manufacturing Consultancy

Brand Positioning

Brand Identity

Brand & Product Experience

Cutting through the complexities of spinal surgery to reinvent the future of healthcare.

Impact

After three years of development and testing, the ALIF cage is now used in surgeries, allowing for safer, simpler, and more successful procedures because of the greater flexibility that the system affords.