Bone is a living tissue whose main mechanical function is to provide stiffness, strength and protection to the body. Both stiffness and strength depend on the mineralization of the organic matrix, which is constantly being remodelled by the coordinated action of the bone multicellular units (BMUs). Due to the dynamics of both remodelling and mineralization, each sample of bone is composed of structural units (osteons in cortical and packets in cancellous bone) created at different times, therefore presenting different levels of mineral content. In this work, a computational model is used to understand the feedback between the remodelling and the mineralization processes under different load conditions and bone porosities. This model considers that osteoclasts primarily resorb those parts of bone closer to the surface, which are younger and less mineralized than older inner ones. Under equilibrium loads, results show that bone volumes with both the highest and the lowest levels of porosity (cancellous and cortical respectively) tend to develop higher levels of mineral content compared to volumes with intermediate porosity, thus presenting higher material densities. In good agreement with recent experimental measurements, a boomerang-like pattern emerges when plotting apparent density at the tissue level versus material density at the bone material level. Overload and disuse states are studied too, resulting in a translation of the apparent–material density curve. Numerical results are discussed pointing to potential clinical applications.
Cr-Co-Mo (ASTM F75) alloy has been used in the medical environment, but its use as a rigid barrier membrane for supporting bone augmentation therapies has not been extensively investigated. In the present study, Cr-Co-Mo membranes of different heights were placed in New Zealand white, male rabbit tibiae to assess the quality and volume of new bone formation, without the use of additional factors. Animals were euthanized at 20, 30, 40, and 60 days. Bone formation was observed in all of the cases, although the tibiae implanted with the standard membranes reached an augmentation of bone volume that agreed with the density values over the timecourse. In all cases, plasmatic exudate was found under the membrane and in contact with the new bone. Histological analysis indicated the presence of a large number of chondroblasts adjacent to the inner membrane surface in the first stages, and osteoblasts and osteocytes were observed under them. The bone formation was appositional. The Cr-Co-Mo alloy provides a scaffold with an adequate microenvironment for vertical bone volume augmentation, and the physical dimensions and disposition of the membrane itself influence the new bone formation.
A preliminary study of a new pulsatile pump that will work to a frequency greater than 1 Hz, is presented. The fluid-structure interaction between a Newtonian blood flow and a piston drive that moves with periodic speed is simulated. The mechanism is of double effect and has four valves, two at the input flow and two at the output flow; the valves are simulated with specified velocity of closing and reopening. The simulation is made with finite elements software named COMSOL Multiphysics 3.3 to resolve the flow in a preliminary planar configuration. The geometry is 2D to determine areas of high speeds and high shear stresses that can cause hemolysis and platelet aggregation. The opening and closing valves are modelled by solid structure interacting with flow, the rhythmic opening and closing are synchronized with the piston harmonic movement. The boundary conditions at the input and output areas are only normal traction with reference pressure. On the other hand, the fluid structure interactions are manifested due to the non-slip boundary conditions over the piston moving surfaces, moving valve contours and fix pump walls. The nonphysiologic frequency pulsatile pump, from the viewpoint of fluid flow analysis, is predicted feasible and with characteristic of low hemolysis and low thrombogenesis, because the stress tension and resident time are smaller than the limit and the vortices are destroyed for the periodic flow.
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