Strength of interference screw fixation of meniscus prosthesis matches native meniscus attachments.

Purpose: Meniscal surgery is one of the most common orthopaedic surgical interventions. Total meniscus replacements have been proposed as a solution for patients with irreparable meniscal injuries. Reliable fixation is crucial for the success and functionality of such implants.

A UK-based pilot study of current surgical practice and implant preferences in lumbar fusion surgery.

Lumbar fusion surgery is an established procedure for the treatment of low back pain. Despite the wide set of alternative fusion techniques and existing devices, uniform guidelines are not available yet and common surgical trends are scarcely investigated.The purpose of this UK-based study was to provide a descriptive portrait of current surgeons' practice and implant preferences in lumbar fusion surgery.

Design and development of low cost polyurethane biopolymer based on castor oil and glycerol for biomedical applications.

In the current study, we present the synthesis of novel low cost bio-polyurethane compositions with variable mechanical properties based on castor oil and glycerol for biomedical applications. A detailed investigation of the physicochemical properties of the polymer was carried out by using mechanical testing, ATR-FTIR, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Polymers were also tested in short term in-vitro cell culture with human mesenchymal stem cells to evaluate their biocompatibility for potential applications as biomaterial.

Development of a microfluidic platform integrating high-resolution microstructured biomaterials to study cell-material interactions.

Microfluidic screening platforms offer new possibilities for performing in vitro cell-based assays with higher throughput and in a setting that has the potential to closely mimic the physiological microenvironment. Integrating functional biomaterials into such platforms is a promising approach to obtain a deeper insight into the interactions occurring at the cell-material interface. The success of such an approach is, however, largely dependent on the ability to miniaturize the biomaterials as well as on the choice of the assay used to study the cell-material interactions.

Applications of 3D printing in the management of severe spinal conditions.

The latest and fastest-growing innovation in the medical field has been the advent of three-dimensional printing technologies, which have recently seen applications in the production of low-cost, patient-specific medical implants. While a wide range of three-dimensional printing systems has been explored in manufacturing anatomical models and devices for the medical setting, their applications are cutting-edge in the field of spinal surgery. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview and classification of the current applications of three-dimensional printing technologies in spine care.