RESOURCES

PHYSICAL RESOURCES

The mechanical testing rooms include an MTS-858 that can be used in different arrays that apply dynamic axial and torsional loads to our unique system of custom designed fixturing capable of self aligning loads to follow the movements of structures of a variety of stiffnesses. Structures can be tested in load control or stroke control and with combined, programmable loading regimes with measurement of neutral zone as well as stiffness characteristics. Additional instrumentation includes integrated pressure sensors, strain gauges, thermocouples, infrared markers, LVDT’s and a motion analysis system that allows calculation of angles of components with the structure, that can be synchronized with the overall loading and stroke records.

In addition we have a Hologic QDR4500 Elite DEXA scanning system for differentiating osteoporotic and normal specimens by bone mineral density.

SPECIMEN PREPARATIONS

Specially equipped rooms offer surgeons opportunities to perform procedures. There are over 100 cu-ft. of freezers in upright and chest configurations for convenient storage of large cadaveric specimens. In addition, there is an separate 1000 cu-ft. cold room, as well as access to cell culture rooms and molecular biology laboratories with whom we partner.

SURGERY

An operating room with adjacent recovery room, surgical locker rooms, and a scrub and sterilization room are available. In addition, we have a mini-fluoroscopy machine with single frame and video capture capabilities that can be used in any of our other facilities. In addition, our surgical preparation room is equipped with a Spinal Stiffness Gauge® and a variety of surgical instruments and supplies that can accommodate most types of orthopaedic procedures.

STRUCTURAL MECHANICS

SPINE: Flexion-extension, torsional and lateral bend loading while measuring disk pressures, individual motion segment movements in 6 DOF and movements or strains in the spinal instruments and real-time joint pressures and forces in both cadaveric and synthetic spine models are available.

UPPER & LOWER LIMB: Cadaveric and synthetic models are available for testing fracture fixation constructs and soft tissue reconstructions as well as joint replacements while measuring realtime joint pressures and forces, 6 DOF of movements of components, tissue and hardware strains. Biomechanical effects of orthotic devices on whole limbs and prosthetic devices on residual limbs can be tested for a variety of applications.

DEVICE TESTING ASTM/ISO standard material and structural testing of prototype and production components and constructs are performed for submission to FDA and/or ISO as well as for the development of new devices.

OTHER AVAILABLE FACILITIES

In our collaborative work, we have traveled to other institutions to instrument and test, we have arranged for outside investigators to work not only at the MBI Miami facilities, but with other facilities to which we are associated: University of Miami Motion Analysis laboratories in Industrial Engineering, Micromechanics laboratories in Biomedical Engineering, Image Analysis laboratories in Electrical Engineering, in the numerous clinics of the affiliated departments at the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, the laboratories and pastures at the nearby Manheimer Institute for long-term animal studies as well as the animal laboratories available within the Pearlman Biomedical Research Building.