Repair of the dura mater with processed collagen devices.

Background: We evaluated in a canine duraplasty model how specific differences in device physicomechanical properties, porosity, and crosslinking influenced the biological performance of three processed collagen dural substitutes.

Methods: Three collagen dural substitutes were studied: Dura-Guard, DuraGen, and Durepair. The initial strength, stiffness, and suture retention force were measured using standard mechanical test methods.

Linear poroelastic cancellous bone anisotropy: trabecular solid elastic and fluid transport properties.

The mechanical performance of cancellous bone is characterized using experiments which apply linear poroelasticity theory. It is hypothesized that the anisotropic organization of the solid and pore volumes of cancellous bone can be physically characterized separately (no deformable boundary interactive effects) within the same bone sample. Due to its spongy construction, the in vivo mechanical function of cancellous or trabecular bone is dependent upon fluid and solid materials which may interact in a hydraulic, convective fashion during functional loading.