Biomechanical Characterisation of the Human Auricular Cartilages; Implications for Tissue Engineering

Currently, autologous cartilage provides the gold standard for auricular reconstruction. However, synthetic biomaterials offer a number of advantages for ear reconstruction including decreased donor site morbidity and earlier surgery. Critical to implant success is the material’s mechanical properti...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Annals of biomedical engineering 2016-12, Vol.44 (12), p.3460-3467
Main Authors: Griffin, M. F., Premakumar, Y., Seifalian, A. M., Szarko, M., Butler, P. E. M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged
Biochemistry
Biological and Medical Physics
Biomechanics
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering
Biomedicine
Biophysics
Cartilage
Classical Mechanics
Collagen - chemistry
Collagen - metabolism
Compressing
Ear Cartilage - chemistry
Ear Cartilage - cytology
Ear Cartilage - metabolism
Elastic Modulus
Elastin
Elastin - chemistry
Elastin - metabolism
Humans
Male
Mechanical properties
Middle Aged
Modulus of elasticity
Reconstruction
Stress, Mechanical
Surgical implants
Tissue Engineering
Tragus
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Summary:Currently, autologous cartilage provides the gold standard for auricular reconstruction. However, synthetic biomaterials offer a number of advantages for ear reconstruction including decreased donor site morbidity and earlier surgery. Critical to implant success is the material’s mechanical properties as this affects biocompatibility and extrusion. The aim of this study was to determine the biomechanical properties of human auricular cartilage. Auricular cartilage from fifteen cadavers was indented with displacement of 1 mm/s and load of 300 g to obtain a Young’s modulus in compression. Histological analysis of the auricle was conducted according to glycoprotein, collagen, and elastin content. The compression modulus was calculated for each part of the auricle with the tragus at 1.67 ± 0.61 MPa, antitragus 1.79 ± 0.56 MPa, concha 2.08 ± 0.70 MPa, antihelix 1.71 ± 0.63 MPa, and helix 1.41 ± 0.67 MPa. The concha showed to have a significantly greater Young’s Elastic Modulus than the helix in compression ( p  
ISSN:0090-6964
1573-9686
DOI:10.1007/s10439-016-1688-1