Resilient Cable Plug for Bone Plate Shear Stress Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bone fixation systems using surgical cables often experience shear stresses and strains due to the cables being angled less than 90° from the bone's longitudinal axis, leading to shifting of the bone plate, as they lack a means to orient the cable at various angles effectively.
Innovation Solution
The development of a cable plug with a cable retaining portion and a fastening portion that allows for the reception and retention of surgical cables at multiple angles, featuring a passage for the cable and a biased design to enhance flexibility and resiliency, and a cable attachment plate with a channel for cable retention and a fastening mechanism to secure the cable to the bone plate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the surgical cable is coupled to the bone plate at 90° from the longitudinal axis of the bone using existing fixation screws or adapters, then the cable can be secured to the bone plate, but shear stresses and strains occur when forces act on the cable causing the cable to migrate and the bone plate to shift
Solution Approach 1:
The cable plug incorporates a resilient body that can deflect and adapt to force vectors applied at various angles. The resilient nature of the plug allows it to dynamically respond to loading conditions rather than rigidly resisting them, accommodating cable forces at angles less than 90° without causing bone plate shift.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the structural parameters of the cable retention system by using a resilient body with specific geometric features (concave surface, protrusion, aperture configuration) that enable it to withstand multi-directional forces. The resilient property and geometric design allow the system to handle variable angle loading conditions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If existing fixation screws or adapters are used to couple the cable to the bone plate, then the cable can be retained, but the system cannot orient the surgical cable at angles less than 90° from the longitudinal axis of the bone
Solution Approach 1:
The cable plug serves multiple functions: it retains the cable, accommodates various cable angles, and provides a stable interface with the bone plate. The resilient body with its aperture and concave surface can adapt to different cable orientations while maintaining secure retention, making the system versatile for different surgical configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient body dynamically adapts to different cable insertion angles through elastic deformation. The structure allows the aperture and concave surface to reconfigure under load, enabling reliable cable retention whether the cable is inserted at 90° or at angles less than 90° from the bone's longitudinal axis.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid cable retention structure is used to prevent cable migration, then cable position is maintained, but the system cannot accommodate force vectors at various angles without causing shear stresses
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the mechanical parameter of the retention structure from rigid to resilient. This parameter change allows the structure to deform elastically under shear loading, accommodating force vectors at various angles while maintaining cable position stability and reducing stress transmission to the bone plate.
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient body acts as a cushioning element that absorbs and distributes shear stresses before they can be transmitted to the bone plate. The elastic deformation of the resilient body provides a buffer that protects the bone plate from high shear stresses while maintaining cable retention.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively reduces shear stresses and strains, preventing bone plate shifting by allowing the surgical cable to be oriented at various angles relative to the bone, thereby enhancing the stability of the bone fixation system.
Implementation Method 1
A resilient section may be present between the first and second sidewalls and may bias the first and second sidewalls towards one another
Implementation Method 2
The cable plug or cable attachment plate may be biased, thereby reducing shear stresses and strains that may occur when a surgical cable is wrapped around the bone and the bone plate
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments of a cable plug and a cable wire attachment plate are disclosed herein. Each plug or plate has a cable retaining portion and a fastening portion disposed from the cable retaining portion about a longitudinal axis of the plug or plate. Each cable retaining portion preferably has an aperture or channel for receiving a cable wire therein, while each fastening portion is adapted to engage a portion of a bone plate, such as a hole in the bone plate or an exterior surface of the bone plate. Related methods, systems, and kits are also disclosed.