Abstract
In the run-up to biomechanical testing, fresh human tissue samples are often frozen in order to inhibit initial decomposition processes and to achieve a temporal independence of tissue acquisition from biomechanical testing. The aim of this study was to compare the mechanical properties of fresh tissue samples of the human iliotibial tract (IT) to fresh-frozen samples taken from the same IT and those modified with different concentrations of Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) prior to freezing. All samples were partial plastinated and destructive tensile tests were conducted with a uniaxial tensile test setup. A plastination technique already established in the laboratory was modified to improve the clamping behaviour of the samples. Material failure was caused by a gradual rupture of the load-bearing collagen fibre bundles. Contrary to our expectations, no significant difference was found between the tensile strength of fresh and fresh frozen specimens. The addition of 1 wt% DMSO did not increase the tensile strength compared to fresh-frozen samples; an addition of 10 wt% DMSO even resulted in a decrease. Based on our findings, the use of simple fresh-frozen specimens to determine the tensile strength is viable; however fresh specimens should be used to generate a complete property profile.
Highlights
In the run-up to biomechanical testing, fresh human tissue samples are often frozen in order to inhibit initial decomposition processes and to achieve a temporal independence of tissue acquisition from biomechanical testing
All donors originated from the Institute of Anatomy of the Leipzig University and had given written consent to dedicate their bodies to medical education and research purposes
The modified partial plastination process of the specimen clamping areas was successful for most samples
Summary
In the run-up to biomechanical testing, fresh human tissue samples are often frozen in order to inhibit initial decomposition processes and to achieve a temporal independence of tissue acquisition from biomechanical testing. The aim of this study was to compare the mechanical properties of fresh tissue samples of the human iliotibial tract (IT) to fresh-frozen samples taken from the same IT and those modified with different concentrations of Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) prior to freezing. Tissue stored in fresh frozen condition is preferred for biomechanical testing of human soft tissue This allows decoupling tissue acquisition, which usually has to be done shortly after donor death, and material testing. In case of ligaments and aponeuroses, the influence of freezing and thawing processes on the mechanical properties of human tissue has not yet been fully investigated, despite current research in this field[1,2,3,4,5]. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of freezing and thawing processes on the deformation behaviour and mechanical properties of the human iliotibial tract (IT) compared to the fresh state. Due to the size of this structure, sample acquisition is relatively simple and allows the extraction of several samples from individual IT, improving comparability
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