Development of a Pressure-Sensitive Conductive Rubber Sensor for Analyzing Meniscal Injury in Porcine Models

Abstract

The assessment of the distribution of contact pressure on the meniscus is important in the elucidation of kinematics, etiology of joint diseases, and establishment of treatment methods. Compared with sensors widely used in recent years, pressure-sensitive conductive rubber sensors are easy to mold, flexible, durable, and resistant to shearing forces. This study is aimed at developing a rubber sensor for meniscal research and evaluating the pressure distribution after meniscal injury using porcine models. After confirming the reliability of the rubber sensor, contact pressure was obtained from the rubber sensor using the medial meniscus and femur of the porcine knee. Three test conditions of intact meniscus, radial tear, and meniscectomy were prepared, and a compressive load of 100 N was applied. After confirming the high reliability of the rubber sensor, the intact meniscus had the most uniform pressure distribution map, while the pressure in the meniscectomy model was concentrated in the resection region. The high-pressure region was significantly smaller in the intact group than in the radial tear models after 80 and 100 N ( P < 0.05 ). The rubber sensor captured the pressure concentration specific to each examination group and was useful for evaluating the relationship between the pattern of meniscal injury and changes in the biomechanical condition of the knee.

Biomechanical assessment of a novel meniscal scaffold compared to partial meniscectomy: A study on porcine meniscal injury

“…The contact pressure test was then performed as previously described (Figure 2). 26 Briefly, a pressure sensor (Inastomer; Inaba Rubber Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan) was placed between the meniscus and the synthetic bone, and a compression force was applied across the compartment at a speed of 25 N/s to a maximum load of 100 N over 60 s. All force measures were recorded to a resolution of two decimal places. Specimens were tested under the following three conditions: intact medial meniscus (Figure 4A), partial meniscectomy (Figure 4B), and scaffold implantation (Figure 4C–G and Figure 5A–C).…”

Safety and Efficacy of a Novel Polyglycolic Acid Meniscal Scaffold for Irreparable Meniscal Tear

“…8,9 Notwithstanding, partial meniscectomy could accelerate osteoarthritis (OA) 10 due to the decreased contact area and increased contact pressure. [11][12][13][14] Preserving or reconstructing the meniscus structure might be an essential factor for knee homeostasis.…”