Design of a loading system for cyclic test on sutured organs

Abstract

The design of loading systems to test biologic samples is often challenging, due to shape variability and non-conventional loading set-ups. In addition to this, large economic investments would not be justified since the loading set up is usually designed for one single or for a limited range of applications. The object of this work is the development of a loading set-up finalised to on-site testing of sutures whose main function is applying a localised tensile load. The main challenges of this design process can be so summarized: Applying cyclic tensile loads on the suture wire, mimicking the physiologic condition where both suture anchorage points have a certain compliance; Designing a loading system as versatile as possible, in order to be able to accommodate organs with different geometries and sizes; Keeping low both the complexity and costs of realization. All these considerations and the design calculi are here reported in detail, discussing the novelty of the system, and its main advantages.

Phantom -based lumbar spine experimental investigation and validation of a multibody model

“…Therefore, the implementation of a joint approach has permitted relevant steps forward in the understanding of various biomechanical aspects, thus permitting relevant improvements in the clinical sphere, such as in surgical or biomedical procedures [1][2][3][4][5], implants realisation [6][7][8][9][10][11][12] and prosthesis design [13][14][15][16][17]. On the one hand, experimental analysis provides further insights into materials characterisation at different scales [18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26], objectifies clinical qualitative outcomes [27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35] and lets numerical models be validated [36]. On the other hand, numerical studies allow studying wider test scenarios and inferring physical quantities otherwise tough to figure out because of feasibility and costs reasons [37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45]…”