Porous, Patient Specific Interbody Fusion Cages with Enhanced Loading Characteris

项目摘要 拟议的研究将挑战腰椎椎间融合术（LIF）的标准方法， 利用医学成像、有限元（FE）模型和新兴材料指导新型器械设计。 这些融合术每年在500，000名患有退行性椎间盘疾病的患者中进行， 不稳定和脊柱侧凸。这一建议提供了一个创新的，多学科的方法来研究LIFs。 传统的CT将被关联并用于预测整个区域的局部强度和模量值。 终板这些数据还将用于使用匹配材料创建患者特定的FE模型 特性. FE模拟将用于评估各种脊柱的复杂生物力学， 融合器/棒设计、材料和配置。此外，模拟将产生有价值的信息 关于终板上的应力分布以及作为骨骼函数的整体结构刚度 形成和融合。最后，聚对苯撑（PPPs）是一类新型的具有强度的芳香族聚合物 并且模量值高于聚（醚-醚-酮）（PEEK）。PPP具有上级可制造性 与目前的融合器材料相比，将被制成多孔器械。器械的孔隙率将为 在空间上定制以匹配整个终板的植入物的特性，同时还促进 骨整合。我们的假设是多孔椎间融合器可以减少并发症 （下沉和相邻节段疾病），并通过（1）在空间上调整 （2）在整个终板上更均匀地分布应力，（3）降低 整体结构刚度值，和（4）允许骨与植入物的骨整合。如果成功， 拟议的研究将改变LIF笼和结构设计的范式， 下沉、植入物失效和相邻节段疾病的发生率较低。拟议的小组由一个跨- 具有临床外科、机械和生物医学工程背景的学科小组， 材料科学

Project Summary The proposed research will challenge the standard approach to lumbar interbody fusions (LIFs) by utilizing medical imaging, finite-element (FE) models and emerging materials to guide novel device design. These fusions are performed annually on 500,000 patients who suffer from degenerative disc disease, instability, and scoliosis. This proposal offers an innovative, multi-disciplinary approach to studying LIFs. Conventional CT will be correlated and utilized to predict local strength and modulus values across the endplates. These data will also be used to create patient-specific, FE models with the matching material properties. FE simulations will be used to evaluate the complex biomechanics of the spine for a wide variety of cages/rod designs, materials, and configurations. Furthermore, simulations will yield valuable information regarding the stress distribution across the endplates as well as overall construct stiffness as a function of bone formation and fusion. Lastly, poly(para-phenylenes) (PPPs) are a new class of aromatic polymers with strength and modulus values higher than poly(ether-ether-ketone) (PEEK). PPPs have superior manufacturability compared to current cage materials and will be made into porous devices. The porosity of the device will be spatially tailored to match the properties of the implant across the endplates, while also promoting osteointegration of bone. Our hypothesis is that a porous interbody fusion cage would reduce complications (subsidence and adjacent-level disease) and improve clinical outcomes by (1) spatially tailoring the modulus of the implant to the endplate, (2) more evenly distributing stresses across the entire endplate, (3) lowering the overall construct stiffness value, and (4) allowing for osteointegration of bone into the implant. If successful, the proposed research would shift the paradigm for how LIF cages and constructs are designed as well as lower rates of subsidence, implant failures, and adjacent-level disease. The proposed team consists of an inter- disciplinary group with backgrounds in clinical surgery, mechanical and biomedical engineering, and materials science.