Weiqiang Liu

Physical characteristics of polyaxial-headed pedicle screws and biomechanical comparison of load with their failure.

Study Design. Pedicle screw strength or load to failure was biomechanically evaluated, and the geometric characteristics of pedicle screw instrumentation systems were compared. Objectives. To compare the features of pedicle screw systems, and to demonstrate the failure point of the polyaxial pedicle screw head. Summary of Background Data. Many pedicle screw instrumentation systems are currently available to the spine surgeon. Each system has its unique characteristics. It is important for the surgeon to understand the differences in these pedicle screw systems. Pedicle screw load to failure has not been subjected to a comparison study. Methods. The physical characteristics of each pedicle screw instrumentation system were determined. Features of rods, instruments, and pedicle screws were cataloged. Biomechanical testing of the pedicle screw construct was performed to determine the site and force of the load to failure. Nine pedicle screw systems were evaluated. Testing was performed with a pneumatic testing system under load control. Three polyaxial screws were used for each test at a load rate of 100 N/second. The load failure value was the force at which the pedicle screw or polyaxial head–screw interface initially deflected. Results. Biomechanical testing demonstrated in all instances that the polyaxial head coupling to the screw was the first failure point. Although there have been subtle design differences in the instruments over time, the features of the pedicle screw instrument sets have become remarkably similar. Conclusions. Biomechanical pedicle screw load-to-failure data demonstrated that the polyaxial head coupling to the screw is the first to fail and may be a protective feature of the pedicle screw, preventing pedicle screw breakage. Knowing the physical characteristics of the available pedicle screw instrumentation systems may allow the choice of pedicle screw best suited for a given clinical situation.

Study on improved tribological properties by alloying copper to CP-Ti and Ti-6Al-4V alloy

Copper alloying to titanium and its alloys is believed to show an antibacterial performance. However, the tribological properties of Cu alloyed titanium alloys were seldom studied. Ti-5Cu and Ti-6Al-4V-5Cu alloys were fabricated in the present study in order to further study the friction and wear properties of titanium alloys with Cu additive. The microstructure, composition and hardness were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and hardness tester. The tribological behaviors were tested with ZrO2 counterface in 25% bovine serum using a ball-on-disc tribo-tester. The results revealed that precipitations of Ti2Cu intermetallic compounds appeared in both Ti-5Cu and Ti-6Al-4V-5Cu alloys. The tribological results showed an improvement in friction and wear resistance for both Ti-5Cu and Ti-6Al-4V-5Cu alloys due to the precipitation of Ti2Cu. The results also indicated that both CP-Ti and Ti-5Cu behaved better wear resistance than Ti-6Al-4V and Ti-6Al-4V-5Cu due to different wear mechanisms when articulated with hard zirconia. Both CP-Ti and Ti-5Cu revealed dominant adhesive wear with secondary abrasive wear mechanism while both Ti-6Al-4V and Ti-6Al-4V-5Cu showed severe abrasive wear and cracks with secondary adhesive wear mechanism due to different surface hardness integrated by their microstructures and material types.

Wear studies on ZrO2-filled PEEK as coating bearing materials for artificial cervical discs of Ti6Al4V.

Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and its composite coatings are believed to be the potential candidates bio-implant materials. However, these coatings have not yet been used on the surface of titanium-based orthopedics and joint products and very few investigations on the tribological characteristics could be found in the published literature till date. In this study, the wettabilities, composition and micro-hardness were characterized using contact angle measurement, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and hardness tester. The tribological tests were conducted using a ball-on-disc contact pair under 25% newborn calf serum (NCS) lubricated condition. For comparison, bare Ti6Al4V was studied. The obtained results revealed that those PEEK/ZrO2 composite coatings could improve the tribological properties of Ti6Al4V significantly. Adhesive wear and mild abrasive wear might be the dominant wear and failure mechanisms for PEEK/ZrO2 composite coatings in NCS lubricated condition. After comprehensive evaluation in the present study, 5wt.% ZrO2 nanoparticles filled PEEK coating displayed the optimum tribological characteristics and could be taken as a potential candidate for the bearing material of artificial cervical disc.

Tribological behaviour of titanium alloy modified by carbon–DLC composite film

Diamond-like carbon (DLC) films were deposited on both the untreated and the prior carbon ion implanted Ti6Al4V alloys by plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD). The tribological behaviours were evaluated by conducting reciprocating wear tests against ZrO2 using a ball on disc tribotester. The effect of ion implantation dose and zone on mechanical and tribological behaviour of DLC films was studied by means of nanohardness and nanoscratch tester, SEM and three-dimensional surface profiler. The duplex treatment dramatically increased the surface hardness and bonding strength of film/substrate. Both carbon ion implantation and PECVD improved the wear resistance of titanium alloy, whereas the combined process of carbon ion implantation with the dose of 1016 ions cm−2 and PECVD offered the best wear resistance by a reduction of 94·3% in wear volume in comparison to untreated alloy. The cracks and deformations that induced local flaking failure under high contact stress played an important role in the wear and failure mechanisms.

Study on the Wettability and Tribological Behavior of Different Polymers as Bearing Materials for Cervical Prosthesis

Tribological behaviors of four polymers (conventional and cross-linked UHMWPE, conventional and glass fiber-reinforced PEEK) articulated with Ti6Al4V ball were studied under both dry sliding and 25% bovine serum lubrication. The hardness, static contact angle, surface damage topography, and wear parameter of wear scar were tested. Both cross-linked process of UHMWPE and glass fiber-reinforced treatment of PEEK improved wettability while they did not increase hardness. PEEK revealed higher surface hardness and better wettability than UHMWPE. The dominant wear mechanisms for UHMWPE were plastic deformation and fatigue wear while the failure mechanisms were severe adhesive and abrasive wear for PEEK. Cross-linked process of UHMWPE could form multi-molecular arrangement and reduce stratification, also decreasing friction coefficient and wear rate in both dry sliding and lubrication conditions. However, glass fiber-reinforced treatment of PEEK only decreased its friction coefficient and wear rate in dry condition, which was closely related to the function and wear mechanism of glass fiber. Cross-linked UHMWPE revealed the lowest friction coefficient and wear rate under lubrication condition, which was attributed to the cross-linked treatment and the formation of both protein adsorption film and lubrication film. Hence, cross-linked UHMWPE may be an alternative polymer for use as artificial cervical disc bearing material when it articulated with Ti6Al4V.

Study on torsional fretting wear behavior of a ball-on-socket contact configuration simulating an artificial cervical disk.

A ball-on-socket contact configuration was designed to simulate an artificial cervical disk in structure. UHMWPE (ultra high molecular weight polyethylene) hot pressed by powders and Ti6Al4V alloy were selected as the material combination of ball and socket. The socket surface was coated by a ~500 nm C-DLC (carbon ion implantation-diamond like carbon) mixed layer to improve its surface nano hardness and wear resistance. The torsional fretting wear behavior of the ball-on-socket model was tested at different angular displacements under 25% bovine serum lubrication with an axial force of 100 N to obtain more realistic results with that in vivo. The fretting running regimes and wear damage characteristics as well as wear mechanisms for both ball and socket were studied based on 2D (two dimension) optical microscope, SEM (scanning electron microscope) and 3D (three dimension) profiles. With the increase of angular displacement amplitude from 1° to 7°, three types of T-θ (Torsional torque-angular displacement amplitude) curves (i.e., linear, elliptical and parallelogram loops) corresponding to running regimes of PSR (partial slip regime), MR (mixed regime) and SR (slip regime) were observed and analyzed. Both the central region and the edge zone of the ball and socket were damaged. The worn surfaces were characterized by wear scratches and wear debris. In addition, more severe wear damage and more wear debris appeared on the central region of the socket at higher angular displacement amplitude. The dominant damage mechanism was a mix of surface scratch, adhesive wear and abrasive wear for the UHMWPE ball while that for the coated socket was abrasive wear by PE particles and some polishing and rolling process on the raised overgrown DLC grains. The frictional kinetic behavior, wear type, damage region and damage mechanism for the ball-on-socket model revealed significant differences with those of a ball-on-flat contact while showing better consistency with that of in vitro cervical prosthesis simulations according to the literature.

Biomechanical Analysis of Two-level Cervical Disc Replacement With a Stand-alone U-shaped Disc Implant

Study Design. Biomechanical study using a three-dimensional nonlinear finite element model. Objective. To analyze biomechanical changes with three prostheses based on two-level arthroplasty and to verify the biomechanical efficiency of dynamic cervical implants (DCIs) with a stand-alone U-shaped structure. Summary of Background Data. Few studies have compared biomechanical behavior of various prostheses as they relate with clinical results after two-level total disc replacement. Methods. Three arthroplasty devices Mobi-C, porous coated motion (PCM), and DCI were inserted at the C4–C6 disc space and analyzed. Displacement loading was applied to the center of the endplate at the C3 level to simulate flexion and extension motions. Results. The motion distributions in extension with DCI and in flexion with DCI and Mobi-C were relatively close to that in the intact model. Mobi-C and PCM obviously increased the combined extension range of motion at the index levels, but both resulted in about 45% decrease in extension moment. DCI showed a trend in strain energy similar to that of healthy discs. PCM exhibited a facet joint stress distribution almost similar to that of the intact model. DCI did not generate significant overloading at cartilage between the index levels, whereas the maximum facet joint stress increased with Mobi-C was about 39%. The maximum stress on a ultrahigh molecular-weight-polyethylene core was above the yield stress (42.43 MPa for Mobi-C and 30.94 MPa for PCM). Conclusion. Each prosthesis shows its biomechanical advantages and disadvantages. However, DCI has the capacity to preserve motion and store energy under external loading, similar to the behavior of normal discs. Compared with Mobi-C, both DCI and PCM showed a lower stress at cartilage between index levels, which may avoid facet joint degeneration to some extent. Such a well-controlled arthroplasty device with a stand-alone structure may be a potential candidate and needs to be investigated in future studies. Level of Evidence: 5

Fretting Wear Study of PEEK-Based Composites for Bio-implant Application

The failure caused by fretting wear is a key issue in orthopedic applications as well as other engineering applications. In this study, fretting wear tests were conducted on poly (ether ether ketone) (PEEK), glass fiber reinforced PEEK (GFRPEEK) and carbon fiber reinforced PEEK (CFRPEEK), respectively. Surface characterizations of tested specimens were performed using XRD, microhardness tester, 3D white-light interfering profilometry, SEM and optical microscopy to analyze their wear features. The obtained results showed that the fibers increased the microhardness values and reduced the friction coefficients and wear rates of PEEK-based composites. The fretting regimes of PEEK, GFRPEEK and CFRPEEK were gross slip. The fretting wear mechanisms of those PEEK composites were dominated by abrasive wear, adhesive wear and delamination. CFRPEEK has demonstrated superior fretting wear characteristics, and hence, is a potential bio-implant material for applications such as artificial joints.

Study on the Tribological Behaviors of Different PEEK Composite Coatings for Use as Artificial Cervical Disk Materials

AbstractPoly(ether-ether-ketone) (PEEK) is a type of nbiomaterial which may be used for modifying the surface of materials used in implants. Hence, in the present investigation, the potentiality of PEEK and its composites coatings has been explored for improving the friction and wear behavior of the Ti6Al4V to be used for cervical disks. The structural characteristics, micro-hardness, friction, and wear characteristics of PEEK/Al2O3 and PEEK/SiO2 composite coatings have been investigated and compared with pure PEEK coating and bare titanium alloy sample. According to the XRD analysis results, these coated samples were mainly orthorhombic crystalline form. The contact angle values of PEEK and its composite coatings were higher, while micro-hardness values of these samples decreased significantly. The thickness values of the three coated samples were all above 70xa0μm on average. The average friction coefficients with a counterface of ZrO2 ball decreased significantly, especially under NCS (newborn calf serum) lubricated condition. After comprehensive evaluation, the PEEK/Al2O3 coating demonstrated optimum tribological properties and could be applied as bearing materials for artificial cervical disk.

Biomechanical Analysis of Porous Additive Manufactured Cages for Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion: A Finite Element Analysis

BACKGROUNDnA porous additive manufactured (AM) cage may provide stability similar to that of traditional solid cages and may be beneficial to bone ingrowth. The biomechanical influence of various porous cages on stability, subsidence, stresses in cage, and facet contact force has not been fully described. The purpose of this study was to verify biomechanical effects of porous AM cages.nnnMETHODSnThe surgical finite element models with various cages were constructed. The partially porous titanium (PPT) cages and fully porous titanium (FPT) cages were applied. The mechanical parameters of porous materials were obtained by mechanical test. Then the porous AM cages were compared with solid titanium (TI) cage and solid polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cage. The 4 motion modes were simulated. Range of motion (ROM), cage stress, end plate stress, and facet joint force (FJF) were compared.nnnRESULTSnFor all the surgical models, ROM decreased by >90%. Compared with TI and PPT cages, PEEK and FPT cages substantially reduced the maximum stresses in cage and end plate in all motion modes. Compared with PEEK cages, the stresses in cage and end plate for FPT cages decreased, whereas the ROM increased. Comparing FPT cages, the stresses in cage and end plate decreased withxa0increasing porosity, whereas ROM increased with increasing porosity. After interbody fusion, FJF was substantially reduced in all motion modes except for flexion.nnnCONCLUSIONSnFully porous cages may offer an alternative to solid PEEK cages in lateral lumbar interbody fusion. However, it may be prudent to further increase the porosity of the cage.