title: Design of an occipito-cervical fixation device.
abstract: Metal plates may be used to stabilize the cervical spine. The plates are attached to the posterior of the vertebra by placing screws into the lateral masses. The plating may be extended, in the form of rod or plate, to connect with and support the occiput. Several problems, such as screw loosening and the plate obscuring the surgeon's view as a screw is being inserted, have been identified with present plate systems. This paper describes the initial design for a cervical fixation device to overcome these problems, and the design and development that was undertaken to enable a prototype device to be manufactured.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bio-Medical Physics and Bio-Engineering, University of Aberdeen, Scotland, UK.
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Shepherd
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Bolger
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Leahy
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Mathias
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Hukins
mesh_terms: D001860:Bone Plates / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001863:Bone Screws / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004867:Equipment Design / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D020342:Finite Element Analysis; D006801:Humans; D016268:Internal Fixators / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008954:Models, Biological; D009777:Occipital Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D011859:Radiography; D014025:Titanium
chemical_list: D014025:Titanium