Assessment of Fracture Toughness in Bone Tissue Engineering

Abstract

The fracture mechanisms affecting bone tissue can be described as a damage accumulation process due to the initiation and propagation of microcracks. Fracture risk does not solely depend on strength but also on fracture toughness. To replace damaged bone or cartilage tissues, hydrogels are required to provide appropriate stiffness or deformation properties as well as resistance to fracture. However, failure properties, such as the resistance to fracture, must be evaluated by fracture toughness techniques. Microindentation has emerged as a novel technique for the measurement of material properties of cortical bone. The application of this test for fracture toughness determination in these tissues can become widespread because of the simplicity of the test. The aims of this article are to discuss clinical application of fracture toughness analysis and to present a well tested and more realistic approach for estimating fracture toughness in bone. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 59:2402–2405, 2019. © 2019 Society of Plastics Engineers

In vitro evaluation of polycaprolactone‐based structure for guiding segmental bone defect

“…Implantation of the scaffold blocks is a big challenge in segmental bone tissue engineering. Considering the human tibia bone, scaffolds in a fractured site will require a guided shell to provide support and prevent the scaffolds from dislocating 9 . On the other hand, physically adjoining the blocks demands a plate for fixing the scaffolds by pinning them to the plate.…”

“…Considering the human tibia bone, scaffolds in a fractured site will require a guided shell to provide support and prevent the scaffolds from dislocating. 9 On the other hand, physically adjoining the blocks demands a plate for fixing the scaffolds by pinning them to the plate. Accordingly, the development of suitable guide structures seems necessary for the sustainable development of segmental bone tissue engineering.…”