Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2010, Vol. 14 ›› Issue (33): 6113-6116.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-8225.2010.33.008

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Bending mechanical properties: Comparative analysis of ribs from youth and old corpses 

Quan Tie-gang1, Gao Ming1, Ma Hong-shun2   

  1. 1 Department of Emergency, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun  130041, Jilin Province, China; 2 Department of Engineering Mechanics, Nanling Campus of Jilin University, Changchun  130022, Jilin Province, China
  • Online:2010-08-13 Published:2010-08-13
  • Contact: Ma Hong-shun, Professor, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Nanling Campus of Jilin University, Changchun 130022, Jilin Province, China mahs@jlu.edu.cn
  • About author:Quan Tie-gang, Associate professor, Department of Emergency, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130041, Jilin Province, China

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Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Impact mechanics properties of ribs should be understood in treating osteoporosis, bone remodeling, as well as bone reconstruction. Most of previous studies concerning youth and the elderly corpses alone, reports regarding bending of ribs mechanical properties are few.
OBJECTIVE: To perform bending experiment to the normal people youth and the elderly fresh corpse ribs to survey the bending mechanical properties, and to definite whether the bending mechanical properties of ribs have difference between youth and the elderly people.
METHODS: Experimental samples were obtained from 4 normal fresh corpses, aged 20, 25, 70 and 75 years, were provided by Department of Anatomy, Norman Bethune Medical University. Spinal column ribs specimen were obtained from corpse within 1 hour and cut into 45 mm long pieces. By the method of three-point bending test, data about maximum load, bending moment, stress, strain and the morphology of fracture surface was observed.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The maximum load, maximum bending moment, maximum stress, and maximum strain of the youth group were all obviously greater than that of the elderly group (P < 0.05). The majority of ribs fracture was transverse bending test port, a few was oblique fracture. The macroscopic observation showed that the ribs of the youth group cortical bone were thick, and ribs of the elderly group were thinner. It demonstrated that the bending mechanics properties of ribs are different between the youth and elderly groups, and osteoporosis changes bending mechanics properties in the elderly people.

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