Assistant Professor Dr. Saif Mohammed Abbas, a lecturer in the Department of Prosthetics and Orthotics Engineering, has been awarded a patent for the design and manufacturing of a protective component for osseointegration technology in lower limb prosthetics. The patent, with registration number 8376, was granted by the Central Organization for Standardization and Quality Control.

Osseointegration is a surgical procedure that directly connects a prosthetic limb to the remaining bone, providing a more stable and practical alternative. However, this process increases the risk of bone fractures or system failure in the integrated limb when subjected to high forces or sudden impact.

In this invention, a protective component for osseointegrated prosthetics has been designed. The component consists of a mixture of Ti6Al4V alloy (similar to the osseointegration component) and a ductile cast iron pin, which contains a pre-designed groove. This groove ensures controlled fracture within the protective component, preventing catastrophic failure and separation of the component.

Chemical composition testing, tensile testing, gait analysis, and numerical analysis using SolidWorks were performed to evaluate the component's performance. Test results and analyses showed that the ductile cast iron pin is suitable for the protective component due to its high shock-absorbing capacity and ability to withstand high loads.

Gait analysis using a force plate and Ground Reaction Force (GRF) measurement revealed that the toe-off phase exhibits higher Von Mises stress compared to the heel strike. Although this results in a lower safety factor for the pin during the toe-off phase, the overall design remains significantly safe.

The analysis indicates that the proposed protective component design for the osseointegration system is feasible and could significantly enhance the safety of osseointegrated prosthetics. The proposed design is simple, effective, and has the potential to reduce fracture risks and significantly improve the quality of life for amputees.