Article ID: 2025-0062
Background: Although spine surgery has a high number of patented technologies, there has been little prior application of bibliometric analyses to effectively evaluate the technological literature in the cervical spine field. The aim of this review is to summarize and identify current patent trends in technologies for the stabilization and surgical management of cervical spine pathologies.
Methods: Multiple databases were systematically queried using Lens.org to identify technology patents designed to stabilize or surgically manage cervical spine injury or disease. The patents were then ordered by forward citation count, and the top 50 unique patents were included and organized into five categories: fusion/stabilization/fixation devices, external brace/supporter devices, arthroplasty implants, surgical instruments, and spacer/expansion devices. Subsequent assessments included patent priority year, publication year, priority region, legal status, and rank.
Results: The search results on March 11, 2024, yielded 440 patents published between 1973 and 2014. Of the top 50 most-cited patents, fusion/stabilization/fixation devices were the most common (27), followed by external brace/support devices (18). Patents for fusion/stabilization/fixation devices were more recent, peaking in 2001. The most common patents in the first to third quintiles were for fusion/stabilization/fixation devices.
Conclusions: Most patents before 1995 were for cervical brace and supporter devices. Since the turn of the 21st century, patented surgical fusion/fixation/stabilization devices have markedly increased. Further analysis of trends in cervical spine device technology can assist in guiding future innovation efforts.
