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Employing a Pendulum Wear-Testing Model to Evaluate the Feasibility of a 3D-Printed Polymer for Small Joint Arthroplasty

Description

Abstract:
Thumb carpometacarpal osteoarthritis is a degenerative bone condition that affects 20-25% of those over the age of 50. However, conventional surgical repair by metal joint reconstruction has been associated with complaints of aches and poor outcomes. We postulate that a previously established pendulum model can be applied to wear test various polishings of a novel polymer (PEKK) against native cartilage to evaluate its candidacy for use in arthroplasty as a substitute for metal implants. To test this aim, a pendulum model was retrofitted to accommodate wear testing, and a polished PEKK part, unpolished PEKK part, and native joint were tested to evaluate wear. Results showed that a polished print of PEKK was more compatible with native cartilage than a non-polished print, but still resulted in cartilage wear. The pendulum model was successful as a tool for quantifying degree of wear in joint articulation. Future directions include testing further polishings of PEKK to obtain cartilage wear results most compatible with bone.
Notes:
Scholarly concentration: Non-Scholarly Concentrator

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Citation

Navarro, Matthew, Morton, Amy, and Crisco, Joseph, "Employing a Pendulum Wear-Testing Model to Evaluate the Feasibility of a 3D-Printed Polymer for Small Joint Arthroplasty" (2019). Warren Alpert Medical School Academic Symposium. Brown Digital Repository. Brown University Library. https://repository.library.brown.edu/studio/item/bdr:957185/

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  • Warren Alpert Medical School Academic Symposium

    The Warren Alpert Medical School Academic Symposium is an annual event at Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University that provides Year II medical students a venue to present their summer research in a poster format. Participation in the Symposium …
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