Hydrogels for nucleus replacement—Facing the biomechanical challenge

Reitmaier, Sandra; Wolfram, Uwe; Ignatius, Anita; Wilke, Hans-Joachim; Gloria, Antonio; Martín-Martínez, José M.; Silva-Correia, Joana; Miguel Oliveira, Joaquim; Luís Reis, Rui; Schmidt, Hendrik (2012). Hydrogels for nucleus replacement—Facing the biomechanical challenge. Journal of the mechanical behavior of biomedical materials, 14(14C), pp. 67-77. Amsterdam: Elsevier 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2012.05.010

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Hydrogels are considered promising for disc regeneration strategies. However, it is currently unknown whether the destruction of the natural interface between nucleus and surrounding structures caused by nucleotomy and an inadequate annulus closure diminishes the mechanical competence of the disc. This in vitro study aimed to clarify these mechanisms and to evaluate whether hydrogels are able to restore the biomechanical behaviour of the disc. Nucleus pressure in an ovine intervertebral disc was measured in vivo during day and night and adapted to an in vitro axial compressive diurnal (15min) and night (30min) load. Effects of different defects on disc height and nucleus pressure were subsequently measured in vitro using 30 ovine motion segments. Following cases were considered: intact; annulus incision repaired by suture and glue; annulus incision with removal and re-implantation of nucleus tissue; and two different hydrogels repaired by suture and glue. The intradiscal pressure in vivo was 0.75MPa during day and 0.5MPa during night corresponding to an in vitro axial compressive force of 130 and 58N, respectively. The compression test showed that neither the implantation of hydrogels nor the re-implantation of the natural nucleus, assumed as being the ideal implant, was able to restore the mechanical functionality of an intact disc. Results indicate the importance of the natural anchorage of the nucleus with its surrounding structures and the relevance of an appropriate annulus closure. Therefore, hydrogels that are able to mimic the mechanical behaviour of the native nucleus may fail in restoring the mechanical behaviour of the disc.

Item Type:	Journal Article (Original Article)
Division/Institute:	04 Faculty of Medicine > Pre-clinic Human Medicine > Institute for Surgical Technology & Biomechanics ISTB [discontinued]
UniBE Contributor:	Wolfram, Uwe
Subjects:	500 Science > 570 Life sciences; biology 600 Technology > 610 Medicine & health
ISSN:	1751-6161
Publisher:	Elsevier
Language:	English
Submitter:	Factscience Import
Date Deposited:	04 Oct 2013 14:30
Last Modified:	05 Dec 2022 14:09
Publisher DOI:	10.1016/j.jmbbm.2012.05.010
PubMed ID:	22963748
URI:	https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/11542 (FactScience: 217744)