Abstract
The nucleus pulposus (NP) substitution by polymeric gel is one of the promising techniques for the repair of the degenerative intervertebral disc (IVD). Silicone gel is one of the potential candidates for a NP replacement material. Electrospun fiber anchorage to silicone disc, referred as ENAS disc, may not only improve the biomechanical performances of the gel but it can also improve restoration capability of the gel, which is unknown. This study successfully produced a novel process to anchor any size and shape of NP gel with electrospun fiber mesh. Viscoelastic properties of silicone and ENAS disc were measured using standard experimental techniques and compared with the native tissue properties. Ex vivo mechanical tests were conducted on ENAS disc-implanted rabbit tails to the compare the mechanical stability between intact and ENAS implanted spines. This study found that viscoelastic properties of ENAS disc are higher than silicone disc and comparable to the viscoelastic properties of human NP. The ex vivo studies found that the ENAS disc restore the mechanical functionality of rabbit tail spine, after discectomy of native NP and replacing the NP by ENAS disc. Therefore, the PCL ENF mesh anchoring technique to a NP implant can have clinical potential.
Highlights
Current surgical treatments such as discectomy, spinal fusion, and total disc arthroplasty are complex and costly, failed to restore normal range of motion, and failed to permanently relieve chronic lower back pain [1,2,3]
This study found that the compressive modulus, complex shear modulus, and phase shift angle of silicone gels and EIVD are in the range of human nucleus pulposus (NP)
These results confirm the suitability of electrospun fiber anchorage to gels, since it improves the mechanical properties of the gels
Summary
Current surgical treatments such as discectomy, spinal fusion, and total disc arthroplasty are complex and costly, failed to restore normal range of motion, and failed to permanently relieve chronic lower back pain [1,2,3]. The NP substitution by polymeric hydrogel is one of the promising techniques for the repair of degenerated IVD [6] Polymeric hydrogels, such as silicones [7], polyurethanes [8], polyethylene [9], polyvinyl alcohol [10], and polymers reinforced with fibers or ceramics [11], have been investigated as a suitable replacement material for NP. Though these polymers exhibit similar characteristics like the natural IVD in terms of biomechanics behavior, inadequate stiffness and cellular responses between the implant and biological environment make them inappropriate materials for IVD restoration [12]. Development of a tissue-engineered intervertebral disc, where nucleus pulposus implant will be anchored to annulus fibrosus and the end plate by tissue-engineered matrix, may have advantages over techniques
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