The Biomechanical Testing Lab tests various orthopedic fixation devices and implants. The purpose of these tests is to improve surgical planning and patient outcomes by comparing different surgical approaches, implants, and fixation techniques. Current studies involve evaluation of several types of femur, tibia, pelvis and knee fractures. Future studies expand our research endeavor to include the shoulder and radius models. We frequently welcome outside researchers and medical personnel to visit, exchange ideas, and collaborate on research projects. As a non-profit research group, our goals are to contribute to and publish new scientific knowledge in the area of biomechanical testing.
The Biomechanical Testing Lab houses two servohydraulic mechanical testing frames for cadaveric bone tests, an axial-only frame and an axial-torsional frame (Shore Western Manufacturing, Inc). These frames can load the samples in tension, compression, or torsion to evaluate many mechanical properties of orthopedic implants and fixation techniques. Matthew Hansen, MD has joined the research team and will assist in developing his second generation of a shoulder motion controller. With this unique and novel apparatus, lifelike motions can be performed on cadaveric shoulders while parameters of interest are measured and later analyzed. In addition to the testing frames, there is a necropsy area with standard orthopedic surgical and dissection tools and mini-machine shop for sample preparation, potting and fixture building, along with various tissue storage facilities.