Biomechanical properties of sterilized human auditory ossicles

Bone allograft material is treated with sterilization methods to prevent the transmission of diseases from the donor to the recipient. The effect of some of these treatments on the integrity of the bone is unknown. This study was performed to evaluate the effect of several sterilization methods on the mechanical behaviour of human middle ear bones. Due to the size and composition of the bones (approximately 1.5 mm diameter by 4 mm long), mechanical testing options were limited to the traditional platens compression test. Experiments were first performed with synthetic bone to evaluate the precision of this test applied to small specimens. Following this, fresh frozen human ossicles were thawed and sterilized with (i) 1 N NaOH (n = 12); (ii) 0.9% LpH, a phenolic solution (n = 12); or (iii) steam at 134°C (n = 18). A group of 26 control specimens did not receive any sterilization treatment. Material and structural properties were determined from axial compression testing. Results from the synthetic bone showed that the test was reproducible, with st

Fixation of trochanteric slide osteotomies: A biomechanical study

Objective. (1) Determine the effect of a compressive force on the stability of trochanteric slide osteotomies repaired with a cable repair system or a suturing technique. (2) Develop an approach to surgical decision making for trochanteric repair. Design. Muscle forces acting on the greater trochanter were experimentally modeled by the application of shear and compressive loads to osteotomized greater trochanters. A repeated measures design was used to compare suture and cable fixation. Background. The use of