Journal of the mechanical behavior of biomedical materials
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J Mech Behav Biomed Mater · May 2014
The relation between mechanical impact parameters and most frequent bicycle related head injuries.
The most frequent head injuries resulting from bicycle accidents include skull fracture acute subdural hematoma (ASDH), cerebral contusions, and diffuse axonal injury (DAI). This review includes epidemiological studies, cadaver experiments, in vivo imaging, image processing techniques, and computer reconstructions of cycling accidents used to estimate the mechanical parameters leading to specific head injuries. The results of the head impact tests suggest the existence of an energy failure level for the skull fracture, specific for different impact regions (22-24J for the frontal site and 5-15J for temporal site). ⋯ Internal brain lesions are strongly related to rotational effects which are not appropriately accounted by the commonly accepted head injury criterion (HIC). The research summarized in this paper adds significantly to the creation of a fundamental knowledge for the improvement of bicycle helmets as well as other head protective measures. The described investigations and experimental results are of crucial importance also for forensic research.
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J Mech Behav Biomed Mater · Apr 2014
The biomechanical behaviour of the bridging vein-superior sagittal sinus complex with implications for the mechanopathology of acute subdural haematoma.
Traumatic brain injury is expected to become the major cause of death and disability for children and young adults by the year 2020. One of the most frequent and most morbid pathologies resulted from a head trauma is acute subdural haematoma (ASDH). For nearly one third of the ASDH cases the etiopathology directly relates to a bridging vein (BV) rupture. ⋯ The present study brings important contribution to the ASDH research, emphasising the importance of considering the BV-SSS complex as a whole when trying to describe the ASDH mechanopathology.
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J Mech Behav Biomed Mater · Dec 2013
The physiological response of skin tissues to alternating support pressures in able-bodied subjects.
Prolonged mechanical loading can lead to breakdown of skin and underlying tissues which can, in turn, develop into a pressure ulcer. The benefits of pressure relief and/or redistribution to minimise risk have been well documented and these strategies can be provided by employing support mattresses in which internal air pressures can be alternated to minimise the risk of pressure ulcers in patients during prolonged periods of bed-rest. The paper describes the performance of a prototype alternating pressure air mattress (APAM), in terms of its ability to maintain skin viability in a group of healthy volunteers lying in a supine position. ⋯ In all cases, interface pressures at the sacrum rarely exceeded 60mmHg. Although such studies need to be extended to involve bed-bound individuals, the results offer the potential for the development of intelligent APAM systems, whose characteristics can be adjusted to an individual morphology. Such preventive strategies to maintain skin viability at loaded sites will be designed for subjects deemed to be at high risk of developing pressure ulcers.
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J Mech Behav Biomed Mater · Jul 2013
Characterisation of clinical and newly fabricated meshes for pelvic organ prolapse repair.
Clinical meshes used in pelvic organ prolapse (POP) repair are predominantly manufactured from monofilament polypropylene (PP). Complications from the use of these meshes in transvaginal kits, including mesh exposure and pain, have prompted two public health notifications by the FDA. The aim of this study was to compare several clinical PP POP meshes to new fabricated POP meshes, knitted from alternative polymers, for their mechanical properties using standard and clinically relevant multi-axial testing methods. ⋯ Within the new mesh prototypes, the PA meshes, either uncoated (4.7-5.7 μN m) or with gelatin coating (16.7 μN m) possessed lower bending rigidity than both Polyform and Gynemesh (46.2 μN m and 36.4 μN m, respectively). The new fabricated mesh designs were of similar architecture, but with some improved mechanical properties, compared to clinical POP meshes. Multi-axial analysis of new and clinical mesh designs provides greater discriminatory power in analysing mesh mechanical properties for clinical applications.
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J Mech Behav Biomed Mater · Jan 2013
Carbon fiber reinforced PEEK Optima--a composite material biomechanical properties and wear/debris characteristics of CF-PEEK composites for orthopedic trauma implants.
The advantageous properties of carbon fiber reinforced polyetheretherketone (CF-PEEK) composites for use as orthopedic implants include similar modulus to bone and ability to withstand prolonged fatigue strain. ⋯ Thus, these tested implants were similar to commercially used devices and can be recommended for use as implants in orthopedic surgery.