Thermal expansion of rib cartilage implants at the non-isothermal cooling and heating

Abstract

This paper presents the results of a thermo-analytical study of the thermal expansion of rib cartilage used for autotransplantation. Deformations of rib cartilage implants caused by thermal expansion of tissue during Peltier cooling and laser heating in the temperature range from − 10 to + 40 °C. It is revealed that thermal expansion of the cartilage is influenced by the anisotropy of the internal structure of the tissue. Samples of rib cartilage, cut along the fiber bundle, are deformed four times stronger in length than in width. The anisotropy of the cartilaginous tissue structure affects the rate of heating of the samples at different conditions of heat transfer. Thus, the samples cut from the rib in two different ways, along or across the fiber bundle, have different heating rates and duration of the phase transition. Laser heating rate of frozen samples cut across the fiber bundle is 20% higher than along cut. Duration of ice melting for both types of the samples differs by 25%. These studies are important for planning operations of laser reshaping of cartilaginous tissue and for the preliminary selection of frozen implants.