Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Identifier

903

Date

2013

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Biomedical Engineering

Committee Chair

Warren Haggard

Committee Member

Joel Bumgardner

Committee Member

Gladius Lewis

Committee Member

Chuck Thomas

Abstract

An ideal bone graft substitute (BGS) does not exist. To obtain such a material, researchers are focussing on improving its mechanical properties while not adversely affecting other properties. BGSs in current use have low toughness and low flexural strength. The focus of the present study was to determine the influence of two types of fiber (xenograft (porcine) and poly-L-lactide (PLLA)) on toughness and flexural strength as well as other mechanical properties, setting time, injectability and cytocompatibility of PRO-DENSE(R), commercially-available injectable BGS. The addition of each fiber type led to a significant increase in toughness (3X and 10X with porcine dermal and PLLA fibers, respectiviely, as determined by ductility index in three-point bending); however, the fiber additions led to decreases in compressive strength, diametral tensile strength, flexural strength (in three-point bending), density, injectability, and a delay in setting time. Porcine dermal fibers increased the dissolution rate and cell viability of PRO-DENSE(R), but PLLA fibers decreased both its dissolution rate and cell viability. The generally poor mechanical properties of the fiber-reinforced materials may be attributed to their lower densities, arising from displacement of the BGS with a lower density fiber.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to the local University of Memphis Electronic Theses & dissertation (ETD) Repository.

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