A novel spine tester TO GO

Abstract Background Often after large animal experiments in spinal research, the question arises—histology or biomechanics? While biomechanics are essential for informed decisions on the functionality of the therapy being studied, scientists often choose histological analysis alone. For biomechanica...

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Main Authors: Jan Ulrich Jansen, Laura Zengerle, Marcel Steiner, Vincenza Sciortino, Marianna Tryfonidou, Hans‐Joachim Wilke
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024-12-01
Series:JOR Spine
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/jsp2.70002
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author Jan Ulrich Jansen
Laura Zengerle
Marcel Steiner
Vincenza Sciortino
Marianna Tryfonidou
Hans‐Joachim Wilke
author_facet Jan Ulrich Jansen
Laura Zengerle
Marcel Steiner
Vincenza Sciortino
Marianna Tryfonidou
Hans‐Joachim Wilke
author_sort Jan Ulrich Jansen
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Often after large animal experiments in spinal research, the question arises—histology or biomechanics? While biomechanics are essential for informed decisions on the functionality of the therapy being studied, scientists often choose histological analysis alone. For biomechanical testing, for example, flexibility, specimens must be shipped to institutions with special testing equipment, as spine testers are complex and immobile. The specimens must usually be shipped frozen, and, thus, biological and histological investigations are not possible anymore. To allow both biomechanical and biological investigations with the same specimen and, thus, to reduce the number of required animals, the aim of the study was to develop a spine tester that can be shipped worldwide to test on‐site. Methods The “Spine Tester TO GO” was designed consisting of a frame with three motors that initiate pure moments and rotate the specimen in three motion planes. A load cell and an optical motion tracking system controlled the applied loads and measured range of motion (ROM) and neutral zone (NZ). As a proof of concept, the new machine was validated and compared under real experimental conditions with an existing testing machine already validated employing fresh bovine tail discs CY34 (n = 10). Results The new spine tester measured reasonable ROM and NZ from hysteresis curves, and the ROM of the two testing machines formed a high coefficient of determination R2 = 0.986. However, higher ROM results of the new testing machine might be explained by the lower friction of the air bearings, which allowed more translational motion. Conclusions The spine tester TO GO now opens up new opportunities for on‐site flexibility tests and contributes hereby to the 3R principle by limiting the number of experimental animals needed to obtain full characterization of spine units at the macroscopic, biomechanical, biochemical, and histological level.
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spelling doaj-art-d07336c58a754e1390a16bc1e067cf8e2025-08-20T02:57:22ZengWileyJOR Spine2572-11432024-12-0174n/an/a10.1002/jsp2.70002A novel spine tester TO GOJan Ulrich Jansen0Laura Zengerle1Marcel Steiner2Vincenza Sciortino3Marianna Tryfonidou4Hans‐Joachim Wilke5Institute of Orthopaedic Research and Biomechanics Centre for Trauma Research, University Hospital Ulm Ulm GermanyInstitute of Orthopaedic Research and Biomechanics Centre for Trauma Research, University Hospital Ulm Ulm GermanyInstitute of Orthopaedic Research and Biomechanics Centre for Trauma Research, University Hospital Ulm Ulm GermanyInstitute of Orthopaedic Research and Biomechanics Centre for Trauma Research, University Hospital Ulm Ulm GermanyVeterinary Medicine, Clinical Sciences Utrecht University Utrecht NetherlandsInstitute of Orthopaedic Research and Biomechanics Centre for Trauma Research, University Hospital Ulm Ulm GermanyAbstract Background Often after large animal experiments in spinal research, the question arises—histology or biomechanics? While biomechanics are essential for informed decisions on the functionality of the therapy being studied, scientists often choose histological analysis alone. For biomechanical testing, for example, flexibility, specimens must be shipped to institutions with special testing equipment, as spine testers are complex and immobile. The specimens must usually be shipped frozen, and, thus, biological and histological investigations are not possible anymore. To allow both biomechanical and biological investigations with the same specimen and, thus, to reduce the number of required animals, the aim of the study was to develop a spine tester that can be shipped worldwide to test on‐site. Methods The “Spine Tester TO GO” was designed consisting of a frame with three motors that initiate pure moments and rotate the specimen in three motion planes. A load cell and an optical motion tracking system controlled the applied loads and measured range of motion (ROM) and neutral zone (NZ). As a proof of concept, the new machine was validated and compared under real experimental conditions with an existing testing machine already validated employing fresh bovine tail discs CY34 (n = 10). Results The new spine tester measured reasonable ROM and NZ from hysteresis curves, and the ROM of the two testing machines formed a high coefficient of determination R2 = 0.986. However, higher ROM results of the new testing machine might be explained by the lower friction of the air bearings, which allowed more translational motion. Conclusions The spine tester TO GO now opens up new opportunities for on‐site flexibility tests and contributes hereby to the 3R principle by limiting the number of experimental animals needed to obtain full characterization of spine units at the macroscopic, biomechanical, biochemical, and histological level.https://doi.org/10.1002/jsp2.700023R principleanimal testingex vivorange of motionspine tester
spellingShingle Jan Ulrich Jansen
Laura Zengerle
Marcel Steiner
Vincenza Sciortino
Marianna Tryfonidou
Hans‐Joachim Wilke
A novel spine tester TO GO
JOR Spine
3R principle
animal testing
ex vivo
range of motion
spine tester
title A novel spine tester TO GO
title_full A novel spine tester TO GO
title_fullStr A novel spine tester TO GO
title_full_unstemmed A novel spine tester TO GO
title_short A novel spine tester TO GO
title_sort novel spine tester to go
topic 3R principle
animal testing
ex vivo
range of motion
spine tester
url https://doi.org/10.1002/jsp2.70002
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