Our research investigates the development and evaluation of cancellous-like laminoplasty plate designs, focusing on honeycomb structures with thicknesses of 0.4mm, 0.8mm, 1.0mm, and 1.2mm, as well as a solid design. Laminoplasty plates are essential in spinal surgery for stabilizing vertebrae and promoting bone healing. The study's objective was to evaluate the stiffness, strength, and flexibility of these designs under stress, which are crucial for both stability and adaptability within the spine's dynamic environment. Mechanical testing was conducted to determine the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and flexibility of each design. The 0.4mm honeycomb design exhibited a UTS of 14.0±4.55 MPa and a strain of 0.131±0.0397 highlighting its strength but limited mechanical support in highly dynamic spinal environments. Although, the 0.8mm and 1.0mm honeycomb designs showed balanced stiffness and strength with UTS values of 12.57±3.58 MPa and 13.17±4.12 MPa, respectively, the 1.0mm design could withstand higher strains up to 0.156±0.0456 before failure, making it ideal for dynamic spinal regions where adaptability is crucial. The 1.2mm honeycomb design, despite its increased thickness, did not significantly outperform the 1.0mm design, indicating a potential limit to the benefits of increased thickness. The solid design, though less stiff than the honeycomb structure raised concerns about osteointegration and long-term bone healing. The results suggest that the 1.0mm honeycomb design offers the best balance between strength and flexibility, making it a promising candidate for laminoplasty applications.
Citation
Ademuyiwa, S., Pearce, G., & Zioupos, P. (2024, September). Design of Cellular Hexagonal and Cancellous-like plates for laminectomy. Presented at SimBio-M 2024, Online
