Development of laboratory spine with artificial muscles

There is an increasing demand for spinal surgery and a growing number of new spinal implants and surgical procedures being offered by orthopaedic companies. However, the testing of spinal implants and spinal instrumentation is problematic, with testing in cadavers and animals becoming increasingly difficult and both having significant limitations. Thus the aim of this research is to develop an artificial laboratory spine that will have the same physical and biomechanical properties as the human spine. Validation of computer model is difficult hence an active artificial laboratory spine is being developed. A number of spinal elements have been produced and are being investigated, including an artificial intervertebral disc with different material properties to allow it to simulate different clinical conditions. The study is the first of its kind with the characteristics of the disc material that have been assessed in the laboratory, artificial muscles and spring elements and with normal physiological movements compared and validated from the reported literature. The model was used to investigate the potential of Shape Memory Alloy wires to act as artificial muscles and to control the movement of the spine. It is anticipated that the laboratory spine will have a number of other applications, in particular in the assessment of spinal instrumentation and testing. An actual geometry laboratory spine is also generated with suitable manufacturing technique for intervertebral disc, which has an accurate surface profile to fit between the two vertebral bodies above and below it, is discussed in this thesis.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

PhD

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

Doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Hull

Year dc:date.issued

2007

Author dc:creator

• Swamy, Amit

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Fagan, M. J. (Michael J.), 1957-

• Spinal implants

Language dc:language

en

Identifier

oai:hull-repository.worktribe.com:4208435

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:hull-repository.worktribe.com:4208435