Development of a polymeric biomedical device platform with controlled disassembly and in vivo testing in a swine intestinal model.

The aim of this study was to create a surgical guide platform that maintains its integrity while the surgeon performs an intestinal anastomosis or another similar procedure, which then breaks apart and is eliminated from the body in a controlled manner. The device contains mixed polymeric structures that give it a controlled rate of disassembly that could meet the requirements of a specific surgical purpose. The intraluminal anastomotic guide was manufactured as a hollow cylinder composed of layers of porous polyurethane/PCL with polyvinylpyrrolidone as the binding agent similar to a "brick-mortar" architecture. This combination of polymeric structures is a promising manufacturing method from which a variety of tunable devices can be fabricated for specific medical procedures and site-specific indications. The guide was designed to rapidly disassemble within the intestinal lumen after use, reliably degrading while maintaining sufficient mechanical rigidity and stability to support manipulation during complex surgical procedures. The nature of the device's disassembly makes it suitable for use in hollow structures that discharge their contents, resulting in their elimination from the body. A swine model of intestinal anastomosis was utilized to validate the use and function of the device.

Temporal metabolic profiling of bone healing in a caprine tibia segmental defect model.

Bone tissue engineering is an emerging field of regenerative medicine, with a wide array of biomaterial technologies and therapeutics employed. However, it is difficult to objectively compare these various treatments during various stages of tissue response. Metabolomics is rapidly emerging as a powerful analytical tool to establish broad-spectrum metabolic signatures for a target biological system. Developing an effective biomarker panel for bone repair from small molecule data would provide an objective metric to readily assess the efficacy of novel therapeutics in relation to natural healing mechanisms. In this study we utilized a large segmental bone defect in goats to reflect trauma resulting in substantial volumetric bone loss. Characterization of the native repair capacity was then conducted over a period of 12 months through the combination of standard (radiography, computed tomography, histology, biomechanics) data and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS) metabolic profiling. Standard metrics demonstrated that samples formed soft callus structures that later mineralized. Small molecule profiles showed distinct temporal patterns associated with the bone tissue repair process. Specifically, increased lactate and amino acid levels at early time points indicated an environment conducive to osteoblast differentiation and extracellular matrix formation. Citrate and pyruvate abundances increased at later time points indicating increasing mineral content within the defect region. Taurine, shikimate, and pantothenate distribution profiles appeared to represent a shift toward a more homeostatic remodeling environment with the differentiation and activity of osteoclasts offsetting the earlier deposition phases of bone repair. The generation of a comprehensive metabolic reference portfolio offers a potent mechanism for examining novel biomaterials and can serve as guide for the development of new targeted therapeutics to improve the rate, magnitude, and quality of bone regeneration.

Temporal Changes in Reverse Torque of Locking-Head Screws Used in the Locking Plate in Segmental Tibial Defect in Goat Model.

The objective of this study was to evaluate changes in peak reverse torque (PRT) of the locking head screws that occur over time. A locking plate construct, consisting of an 8-hole locking plate and 8 locking screws, was used to stabilize a tibia segmental bone defect in a goat model. PRT was measured after periods of 3, 6, 9, and 12 months of ambulation. PRT for each screw was determined during plate removal. Statistical analysis revealed that after 6 months of loading, locking screws placed in position no. 4 had significantly less PRT as compared with screws placed in position no. 5 (p < 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in PRT between groups as a factor of time (p > 0.05). Intracortical fractures occurred during the placement of 151 out of 664 screws (22.7%) and were significantly more common in the screw positions closest to the osteotomy (positions 4 and 5, p < 0.05). Periosteal and endosteal bone reactions and locking screw backout occurred significantly more often in the proximal bone segments (p < 0.05). Screw backout significantly, negatively influenced the PRT of the screws placed in positions no. 3, 4, and 5 (p < 0.05). The locking plate-screw constructs provided stable fixation of 2.5-cm segmental tibia defects in a goat animal model for up to 12 months.

Fully Implanted Prostheses for Musculoskeletal Limb Reconstruction After Amputation: An In Vivo Feasibility Study.

Previous prostheses for replacing a missing limb following amputation must be worn externally on the body. This limits the extent to which prostheses could physically interface with biological tissues, such as muscles, to enhance functional recovery. The objectives of our study were to (1) test the feasibility of implanting a limb prosthesis, or endoprosthesis, entirely within living skin at the distal end of a residual limb, and (2) identify effective surgical and post-surgical care approaches for implanting endoprostheses in a rabbit model of hindlimb amputation. We iteratively designed, fabricated, and implanted unjointed endoprosthesis prototypes in six New Zealand White rabbits following amputation. In the first three rabbits, the skin failed to heal due to ishemia and dehiscence along the sutured incision. The skin of the final three subsequent rabbits successfully healed over the endoprotheses. Factors that contributed to successful outcomes included modifying the surgical incision to preserve vasculature; increasing the radii size on the endoprostheses to reduce skin stress; collecting radiographs pre-surgery to match the bone pin size to the medullary canal size; and ensuring post-operative bandage integrity. These results will support future work to test jointed endoprostheses that can be attached to muscles.

Development and in vivo Assessment of a Rapidly Collapsible Anastomotic Guide for Use in Anastomosis of the Small Intestine: A Pilot Study Using a Swine Model.

Various conditions in human and veterinary medicine require intestinal resection and anastomosis, and complications from these procedures are frequent. A rapidly collapsible anastomotic guide was developed for small intestinal end-to-end anastomosis and was investigated in order to assess its utility to improve the anastomotic process and to potentially reduce complication rates. A complex manufacturing method for building a polymeric device was established utilizing biocompatible and biodegradable polyvinylpyrrolidone and polyurethane. This combination of polymers would result in rapid collapse of the material. The guide was designed as a hollow cylinder composed of overlaying shingles that separate following exposure to moisture. An in vivo study was performed using commercial pigs, with each pig receiving one standard handsewn anastomosis and one guide-facilitated anastomosis. Pigs were sacrificed after 13 days, at which time burst pressure, maximum luminal diameter, and presence of adhesions were assessed. Burst pressures were not statistically different between treatment groups, but in vivo anastomoses performed with the guide withstood 10% greater luminal burst pressure and maintained 17% larger luminal diameter than those performed using the standard handsewn technique alone. Surgeons commented that the addition of a guide eased the performance of the anastomosis. Hence, a rapidly collapsible anastomotic guide may be beneficial to the performance of intestinal anastomosis.

Use of a pressure-sensing walkway system for biometric assessment of gait characteristics in goats.

The purpose of this study was to quantitatively assess gait characteristics and weight-bearing forces during ambulation in goats free of lameness using a pressure-sensing walkway as a biometric tool for stride, gait, and force analysis. Forty-six non-lame adult goats ranging in age from 5 to 6 years, mixed-breeds, and with a mean body weight of 52 ± 7.1 kgs were used. Goats were trained to walk over a pressure-sensing walkway. Data for analysis was collected on 2 different days, 3 days apart. On each day, 2 to 5 walking passes, in the same direction, were captured for each goat. Data from 2 valid passes meeting the criteria for consistent walking gait on each day were averaged then used for analysis. Analysis was performed, including the day-effect, for stride, gait, and force characteristics. Of the 46 goats enrolled in the study, complete data sets were achieved in 33 (72%) goats. Gait biometrics were similar among the assessment days; therefore, all data was pooled for the purpose of characterizing data for individual limb and biometric parameter comparisons at the individual goat level. Statistical analysis revealed that no difference within the paired limbs, and that there were significant differences between the front limbs and hind limbs. Maximum force and maximum peak pressure were significantly greater for the front limbs as compared with the hind limbs (p < 0.001). Based on the results, gait and force characteristics can be consistently measured in goats using a pressure-sensing walkway during a consistent walking gait. Goats apply greater force to the forelimbs during the weight-bearing phase of stride as compared with the hind limbs. The use of objective assessment tools is expected to improve the ability of researchers and clinicians to monitor changes in weight bearing and gait and will contribute to improved animal welfare.

Complete Genome Sequences of Four Staphylococcus aureus Sequence Type 398 Isolates from Four Goats with Osteomyelitis.

Staphylococcus aureus is the causative agent of multiple infections, including bacteremia, infective endocarditis, osteomyelitis, septic arthritis, and prosthetic device infections. We report here the first whole-genome sequence for four S. aureus sequence type 398 isolates from clinical cases of osteomyelitis in four goats with a history of orthopedic surgery.

The fractal structure of equine articular cartilage.

The naturally occurring structure of articular cartilage has proven to be an effective means for the facilitation of motion and load support in equine and other animal joints. Cartilage has been found to be a complex and dynamic medium, which has led to an incomplete understanding of the nature and operating mechanisms acting within a joint. Although cartilage has biphasic and triphasic properties, it is believed that the performance of equine articular joints is influenced by the surface roughness of the joint cartilage (Ateshian et al., '98; Chan et al., 2011; Yao and Unsworth, '93). Various joint types with different motions and regimes of lubrication have altered demands on the articular surface that may affect cartilage surface properties. In research performed on freshly harvested samples, equine articular cartilage has been shown to possess a multiscale structure and a fractal dimension. It is thought that by determining the fractal dimension (D) of articular cartilage, a better understanding of the friction, wear, and lubrication mechanisms for biomechanic surfaces can eventually be reached. This study looks at the fractal dimensions of three different articular cartilage surfaces in the equine carpus: the radiocarpal, midcarpal, and carpometacarpal surfaces. The three surfaces provide an ideal comparison of fractal dimensions for a different range of motion, geometry, and loading. In each sample, identical treatment was performed during measurement by a stylus profilometer.

A surface roughness comparison of cartilage in different types of synovial joints.

The naturally occurring structure of articular cartilage has proven to be an effective means for the facilitation of motion and load support in equine and other animal joints. For this reason, cartilage has been extensively studied for many years. Although the roughness of cartilage has been determined from atomic force microscopy (AFM) and other methods in multiple studies, a comparison of roughness to joint function has not be completed. It is hypothesized that various joint types with different motions and regimes of lubrication have altered demands on the articular surface that may affect cartilage surface properties. Micro- and nanoscale stylus profilometry was performed on the carpal cartilage harvested from 16 equine forelimbs. Eighty cartilage surface samples taken from three different functioning joint types (radiocarpal, midcarpal, and carpometacarpal) were measured by a Veeco Dektak 150 Stylus Surface Profilometer. The average surface roughness measurements were statistically different for each joint. This indicates that the structure of cartilage is adapted to, or worn by, its operating environment. Knowledge of cartilage micro- and nanoscale roughness will assist the future development and design of treatments for intra- articular substances or surfaces to preserve joint integrity and reduce limitations or loss of joint performance.