Objective: Oblique lateral locking plate system (OLLPS) with the locking and reverse pedicle track screw configuration is a novel internal fixation designed for oblique lumbar interbody fusion(OLIF). It is placed in a single-position through the oblique lateral surgical corridor to reduce operative time and subsequent complications of prolonged anesthesia and prone positioning. The purpose of this study was to verify the biomechanical effect of OLLPS.Methods: The intact finite element model of L1–S1（Intact） was established based on CT images of a healthy male volunteer. The L4-L5 intervertebral space was selected as the surgical segment. The surgical models were established separately according to the OLIF surgical procedures and the different internal fixations: (1) stand-alone OLIF (SA); (2) OLIF with 2-screw lateral plate (LP-2); (3) OLIF with 4-screw lateral plate (LP-4); (4) OLIF with OLLPS (OLLPS); and (5) OLIF with bilateral pedicle screw fixation (BPS). After validating the intact model, the physiological loading was applied to the superior surface of L1 to simulate flexion, extension, left bending, right bending, left rotation, and right rotation motions. The evaluation indexes included the L4/5 range of motion (ROM), the L4 maximum displacement, and the maximum stress of the superior and inferior endplate, cage, and supplemental fixation.Results: In OLIF surgery, OLLPS provided multiplanar stability which was similar to that of BPS. Compared with LP-2 and LP-4, OLLPS had the better biomechanical properties in enhancing the instant stability of the surgical segment, reducing the stress of the superior and inferior endplates of the surgical segment, and reducing the risk of cage subsidence.Conclsions: With the minimally invasive background, OLLPS can be an alternative to BPS in OLIF and has a better prospect of clinical promotion and application.

The electrical responses of carbon black filled silicone rubber to cyclic loading were investigated by electrical resistance measurements. Results indicated that the resistance of specimen appeared irreversible decrease in the earlier cycles of the first group test. The relation of the resistance and uniaxial cyclic loading are repeatable after 5 cycles while the irreversible micro-cracks are almost no longer generated. The resistance of each effective conductive path, the number of effective conductive path and average effective cross-sectional area of the insulating film between the adjacent conductive particles are key factors of the piezoresistivity.

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