Objective To explore changes in the height and width of the cervical intervertebral foramina of C6,7 before and after the C5,6 discetomy, the replacement or the anterior intervertebral fusion so as to provide the theoretical basis for the clinical practice. Methods Eleven fresh cervical spinal specimenswere obtained from young adult cadavers. The specimens of C5,6 were divided into the integrity group, the discectomy group, the artificial disc replacement group, and the intervertebral fusion group. The range of variety (ROV) of the C6,7 intervertebral foramen dimensions (height, width) before and after the loading tests (0.75, 1.50 Nm) were measured in the 4 groups. Results The C6,7 intervetebral foramen height and width increased significantly during flexion (Plt;0.01) but decreased significantly during extension (Plt;0.01). There was a significantdifference between the two test conditions in each of the 4 groups (Plt;0.01). However, in the two test conditions there was no significant difference in ROV of the C6,7 intervetebral foramen height and width during flexion and extension betweenthe integrity group, the discectomy, and the artificial disc replacement group（Pgt;0.05）, but a significant difference in the above changes existed in the intervertebral fusion group when compared with the other 3 groups (Plt;0.05). In the same group and under the same conditions, the ROV of the C6,7 intervetebral foramen height and width was significantly different in the two test conditions (Plt;0.01). Conclusion The results have indicated thatartificial disc replacement can meet the requirements of the normal cervical vitodynamics. The adjacent inferior cervical intervetebral foramen increases during flexion but decreases during extension. The intervertebral fusion is probably one of the causes for the cervical degeneration or the accelerated degeneration and for the cervical spondylotic radiculopathy and the brachial plexus compression.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between the different defect length of vessels and the options of vascular repair, and to compare the different options of repair because of the longitudinal biomechanical effect. METHODS: A clinical analysis was undertaken to evaluate the major arterial and venous injuries in human extremities repaired by end-to-end anastomoses or venous autograft(177 cases, 185 vessels). Compared the defect length of the same kind of vessels repaired by different options (Student-t test). Evaluated the defect length to repair arterial injuries between by end-to-end anastomoses and by vein graft by means of 95% confidence interval. RESULTS: There was significant difference between the defect length of brachial artery repaired by end-to-end anastomosis and femoral artery and popliteal artery repaired by autogenous vein graft (P lt; 0.01). The upper limit of confidence interval in the defect length of brachial artery, femoral artery and popliteal artery was 3.17 cm, 2.81 cm and 2.44 cm respectively by end-to-end anastomosis by means of 95% confidence interval. The lower limit of confidence interval in the defect length of brachial artery, femoral artery and popliteal artery was 2.82 cm, 2.41 cm and 2.17 cm respectively by vein graft by means of 95% confidence interval. The defect length of brachial artery, femoral artery and popliteal artery repaired by vein graft was linear correlation with the length of graft. CONCLUSION: Because of the longitudinal biomechanical difference of arteries and veins in human extremities, different options of repair are necessary to different arterial injuries.
Objective To review the recent anatomy and biomechanical research progress of knee posteromedial corner, to analyze deficient aspect, and to predict future research directions. Methods Domestic and international l iterature about the anatomy and function of knee posteromedial corner in recent years was reviewed extensively, at the same time, the biomechanics of corresponding structure was summarized and analyzed. Results The anatomical structures ofknee posteromedial corner included the static stabil ity structures and the dynamic stabil ity structures. The dynamic stabil ity structures were more important, including posterior root of medial meniscus, posterior obl ique l igament, semimembranosus extensions, meniscotibial l igament and obl ique popl iteal l igament. The posterior obl ique l igament was most important structure to contribute to stabil ization of valgus, anterior internal rotation of knee and posterior movement of tibia. Conclusion Anatomical reconstruction of knee posteromedial corner especially the posterior obl ique l igament is the key to the reconstruction of knee posteromedial function stabil ity.
Objective To investigate the biomechanical influence ofvertebroplasty using autosolidification calcium phosphate cement (CPC) on thoracolumbar osteoporotic fractures. Methods Four cadaver specimens with osteoporosiswere applied to make spine unit. There were 2 females and 2 males, whose average age was 69 years.All underwent flexion-axial loading to result in vertebral body fracture. Following reduction, the middle fractured vertebral body were strengthened by the method of vertebroplasty, using CPC. Before fracture and after vertebroplasty, all were conducted biomechanical test. Results After being packed- CPC to the space in the fractured vertebral body, the strength andstiffness in vertebroplastic group (2 285±34 N，427±10 N/mm) were significantly higher than that in osteoporotic group (1 954±46 N，349±18 N/mm) (Plt;0.05). The vertebral height changing in vertebroplastic group(5.35±0.60 mm) were significantly lower than that in osteoporotic group (5.60±0.70 mm) (Plt;0.05). And the fractured body increases its strength and stiffnessby 16.92% and 22.31% respectively in comparison with its initial situation. Conclusion After being injected CPC into bone trabecular interspaces, the fractured vertebral bodies can restore its strength and stiffness markedly.
Objective To explore the biomechanical difference between the different fixations of cortical bone plate allograft. Methods Twenty-seven cadaveric femurs were harvested and were made into the simulated fracture models, which were equally divided into Groups A, B and C. In Group A, the models were fixed with 2 bone plate allografts (110 mm×10 mm×3 mm); in Group B, the models were fixed with 2 struts (110 mm×10 mm×3 mm) and 5 bone screws; in Group C, the models were fixed with 1 strut (110 mm×10 mm×3 mm) and 5 bone screws. The biomechanical tests for the three-piont bending, torsion, and compression were performed. The parameters studied included the values of the displacements in the three-piont bending tests and the compression tests, and the maximum loads during the bending, the compression, and the torsion. Results As for all the stiffness parameters tested, Group A showed the greatest displacements among the threegroups（P＜0.05）, except the compressive stiffness parameter, which was similar to that in Group B. The maximum loads of the three-point bending, the torsion, and the compression in Group A were 1.65±0.34 kN, 554.3±49.34 N, and 7.78±0.82 Nm, respectively; in Group B, they were 1.12±0.37 kN, 428.00±37.40 N,and 3.39±0.22 Nm, respectively; in Group C, they were 0.71±0.46 kN, 218.67±36.53N, and 1.74±0.12 Nm, respectively. Group A had a significantly greater strengththan the other 2 groups(P＜0.05). Conclusion The strength of the cortical bone plate allograft is related to its different fixations. The two cortical bone plate allografts have a greater strength and stiffness than the struts fixed with the bone screws, which can meet the clinical requirement.
Objective To summarize the function of fibula in stability of ankle joints.Methods Recent original articles were extensively reviewed, which were related to the physiological function and biomechanical properties of fibula, the influence of fibular fracture on stability of ankle joints and mechanism of osteoarthritis of ankle joints. Results The fibula had the function of weightbearing; and it was generally agreed that discontinued fibula could lead to intra articular disorder of ankle joint in children; but there were various viewpoints regarding the influence of fibular fracture on the ankle joint in adults. Conclusion Fibula may play an important role in stability of ankle joint.
Objective To explore the biomechanical stabil ity of ideal compression screw (I.CO.S.) for treatment of femoral neck fracture and to provide theoretical basis for choosing I.CO.S. in cl inical appl ication. Methods Thirty cadaveric human femurs were selected and divided randomly into experimental group (n=15) and control group (n=15), 15 in each group were divided equally into three sub-groups (n=5) again. The model of subcapital femoral neck fracture was made, then given anatomical reduction and fixed with I.CO.S. (experimental group) and general cannulated compression screw (control group) separately with three different configurations: two horizontal (parallel screws in superior aspect of femoral neck), two vertical (parallel screws in sagittal plane of femoral neck) and reverse triangle. The different biomechanical performances were evaluated through experimental stress analysis. Results In biomechanical stabil ity aspect: groups A, B, C was better than groups D, E, F in respect of horizontal displacement and yield load (P lt; 0.05); groups A, D was better than groups B, E in respect of the straining, horizontal displacement and yield load (P lt; 0.05); and there were not significant differences in all biomechanical indicators between group C and group F, and between group A and group C(P gt; 0.05). Conclusion I.CO.S. has the good biomechanical stabil ity for treatment of femoral neck fracture, which mayprovide basis for appl ication.
Objective To make a comparison for the change of maximum tensile intensity and stiffness of a whole implant that is placed into bone tunnel with various lengths tendon, by using beagle dog’s autogenous flexor tendons to reconstruct anterior cruciate l igament (ACL). Methods Sixty male beagle dogs were included in the experiment (weighting 13-16 kg). Three dogs were used for intact flexor tendon of both knees (normal control group), 3 dogs for the intact ACL andfemur-graft-tibia complex (auto control group) and 54 dogs (108 knees) for models of reconstructed ACL (6 experimentalgroups according to different lengths of tendon: 5, 9, 13, 17, 21 and 25 mm in the bone tunnel). The tensile intensity and stiffness were measured after 45, 90 and 180 days separately after operation. Results In the normal control group, the maximum tensile intensity of the intact flexor tendon was (564.15 ± 36.18) N, the stiffness was (59.89 ± 4.28) N/ mm. In the auto control group, the maximum tensile intensity of the intact ACL was (684.75 ± 48.10) N, the stiffness was (74.34 ± 6.99) N/ mm, all ruptured through the intra-articular portion of the graft. The maximum tensile intensity of femur-graft-tibia complex in the auto control group was (301.92 ± 15.04) N, the stiffness was (31.35 ± 1.97) N/mm. After 45 days of operation, all failure occurred at the tibial or femoral insertion site. After 90 days of operation, 24 of the breakpoints were scattered in tendon-bone junction, 12 (3 in 17 mm group, 5 in 21 mm group, 4 in 25 mm group) ruptured through the intra-articular portion. After 180 days of the operation, all breakpoints were distributed inside joint of the implant. The maximum tensile intensity and the stiffness were ber in 17, 21 and 25 mm groups than in 5, 9 and 13 mm groups after operation (P lt; 0.05). Conclusion Tendon with 17 mm length, which will be implanted into bone tunnel, is an appl icable index, in reconstruction of ACL by autogenous tendons.
Objective To investigate the influence of collagen on the biomechanics strength of tissue engineering tendon. Methods All of 75 nude mice were madethe defect models of calcaneous tendons, and were divided into 5 groups randomly. Five different materials including human hair, carbon fibre (CF), polyglycolic acid (PGA), human hair and PGA, and CF and PGA with exogenous collagen were cocultured with exogenous tenocytes to construct the tissue engineering tendons.These tendons were implanted to repair defect of calcaneous tendons of right hind limb in nude mice as experimental groups, while the materials without collagenwere implanted to repair the contralateral calcaneous tendons as control groups. In the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th and 12th weeks after implantation, the biomechanicalcharacteristics of the tissue engineering tendon was measured, meanwhile, the changes of the biomechanics strength were observed and compared. Results From the 2nd week to the 4th week after implantation, the experimental groups were ber than the control groups in biomechanics, there was statistically significantdifference (Plt;0.05). From the 6th to 12th weeks, there was no statisticallysignificant difference between the experiment and control groups (Pgt;0.05). Positivecorrelation existed between time and intensity, there was statistically significant difference (Plt;0.05). The strength of materials was good in human hair,followed by CF, and PGA was poor. Conclusion Exogenous collagen can enhance the mechanics strength of tissue engineering tendon, and is of a certain effect on affected limb rehabilitation in early repair stages.
To investigate the effects of augmentation with bone cement on the biomechanics of the dynamic hip screw (DHS) fixation in the intertrochanteric fracture specimen that has a normal bone density.MethodsTwentyfour matched pairs of the embalmed male upper femora (48sides) were used to make the specimens of the intertrochanteric fracture of Type A2. All the specimens were fixed with DHS. The right femur specimen from each pair was fixed by augmentation with DHS (the augmentation group) and the left femur specimen was fixed with the conventional fixation (the control group). Thebiomechanical tests on the bending stiffness and the torsional stiffness were performed with the servohydraulic testing machine in the two groups.ResultsThe maximum load and the maximum torque were 3 852.160 2±143.603 1 N and 15.5±2.6 Nm in the augmentation group and 3 702.966 7±133.860 1 N and 14.7±3.4 Nm in the control group. There was no significant difference in the biomechanical effects between the two groups (P＞0.05). Conclusion The augmenting fixation with bone cement in the intertrochanteric fracture specimen with a normal bone density has no significant effect on the strength of the DHS augmentation or on the overall stability of the fractured bone.