Quantum Pedicle Screw

Years after focusing exclusively on trauma and sternal products, Pioneer Surgical chose to enter the spine market by developing a pedicle screw system. The designing surgeons wanted to avoid the ‘threaded cap’ designs so prevalently used by competitors and focused on creating a pedicle screw with a non-threaded locking cap design. Brian’s task was to review the prior art, educate the design engineering staff senior leaders, and if possible, conceive novel non-threaded concepts that fell between the prior art.

One of Brian’s concepts utilized an inverted mushroom at the top of the pedicle screw head, and a locking cap having flat external flanges and a camming surface on the central cap facing the spinal rod. With smart engineering work by Brian’s colleagues, these original concepts were released as Pioneer’s Quantum pedicle screw system. A billion dollar competitor later challenged the Quantum pedicle screw design with patent infringement. Brian assembled a patent litigation team and assisted in formulating arguments against the infringement claims. The case was heard in the federal district court and in the US court of appeals. Pioneer prevailed in both courts.

For many years the Quantum pedicle screw system was Pioneer’s highest revenue product and continues to be a major source of revenue for the company today.