New Testing Approaches for Biomechanical Experiments on the Spine
The Spine Biomechanics group (Head of Department Dr. Jonas Widmer) of the Balgrist University Hospital in Switzerland (Clinic Director Prof. Mazda Farshad) is a multidisciplinary research facility, which is dedicated to scientific matters involving the spine. Due to the local proximity to the orthopedic clinic, there is a close exchange between engineers from the technical field and surgeons from the medical field. In addition, the research group has a close collaborative relationship with the Biomechanics Group of the ETH Zurich (Professor Jess Snedeker).This interdisciplinary approach guarantees a high level of expertise in the investigation of relevant clinical questions.
Experiments on the spine
The group of Dr. Jonas Widmer established a fully equipped spine laboratory with customized test setups for biomechanical in-vitro experiments. The equipment has been used for a variety of studies on human spinal cadavers to test and characterize the anatomy and tissue properties. The knowledge gained from these studies is incorporated in patient-specific, biomechanical models that are used for the optimization and validation of operation planning. In addition, the lab also develops and tests new implants.
Within this context, a lot of clinical questions have been addressed, such as:
- What does correct positioning of screws in vertebral bodies look like, so that a fusion operation an be carried out without complications?
- How can 3D printed clamps be used to test spines without damaging biological structures?
- How are different spine structures used to achieve stability of the lumbar spine?
- How does the process of degeneration change the mechanics of the spine?
The right equipment
In these experiments—today and in the future—the group relies on a 10 kN materials testing machine with torsion drive from ZwickRoell for biomechanical testing. It is equipped with the testXpert III testing software and provides maximum flexibility for a wide variety of tests. The integration of external sensors additionally offers access to external measurement electronics such as movement cameras that can be easily integrated in the test sequence. The modular design supports quick changes in the test arrangement, so that other test tasks can be easily carried out without unnecessary and time-consuming efforts.
