Vertebral fractures fixation with composite patch fibre reinforced adhesives.
OBJECTIVE
The aim is to investigate fixation of cervical vertebral fractures by patching it with a composite laminate of adhesive and fibres, in comparison with use of only adhesives.


METHODS
The composite fixation was tested on bonded roe deer vertebrae. 25 specimens were sawed in two halves, creating a generic fracture, and thereafter bonded. The adhesives used were a dental system, Scotchbond XT, and a cyanoacrylate, M-bond 200. The fibres used were unidirectional carbon fibres and randomly distributed E-glass fibres. The composites were applied as a 7 mm wide patch circumferential along the induced fracture. Reference specimens for comparison were also made. The ultimate tensile strength was tested in an Instron 5567. The failure site was examined with a microscope. Strain vectors were tracked using Digital Speckle Analysis.


RESULTS
Scotchbond XT + E-glass fibres gave best results, with a tensile strength of 3.5 N/mm circumferential length (24.3% of reference). All composites had lower stiffness than cortical bone. The dental adhesive fibre composites gave better results than the cyanoacrylate fibre composites. In all cases fibre reinforced adhesive composite gave better results than adhesive without fibre reinforcement.


CONCLUSIONS
Fibre-adhesive composite is a promising technique for fixating cervical vertebral fractures.
Nordberg
A
A
School of Technology and Health, Division of Neuronic Engineering, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden. axeln@kth.se
von Holst
H
H
Brolin
K
K
Beckman
A
A
D000818:Animals; D001843:Bone Cements / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018786:Bone Substitutes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003670:Deer; D005260:Female; D005592:Fracture Fixation / Q000379:methods*; D005898:Glass / Q000737:chemistry*; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D001843:Bone Cements; D018786:Bone Substitutes; C009753:fiberglass