Principal Investigators: Gary S. Beaupré, PhD; Marjolein van der Meulen, PhD; and Stuart Goodman, MD Collaborators: Christopher Comstock, MD; John Csongradi, MD; Glen O. Sullivan, MD; and Sheila Stevens Project Category: Osteoporosis - 2000 Description: By applying mechanical loads in the laboratory, we are comparing the performance of sacroiliac screws, sacral bars and plates for stabilizing pelvic fractures. With the same techniques we can also evaluate the performance of cerclage wire plating for stabilizing the upper hip bone. Problem: For certain fractures, operative treatment and fixation hardware are needed to stabilize the bone and promote healing. In many cases there are several fixation methods and devices from which the orthopedic surgeon must choose, with the optimal choice depending the amount of stabilization required, the presence of soft tissue injuries, and the ease of surgery. Approach: By mechanical testing of alternative devices in a laboratory setting we are able to evaluate and compare their performance. Physiological loads are applied to the hardware and its mechanical stability is measured. Related Work:
Related Publications:
Updated 02/02/2001 |
