Lin Monica C, Herfat Safa T, Bahney Chelsea S, Marmor Meir, Maharbiz Michel M
Annu Int Conf IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc. 2015;2015:5138-41. doi: 10.1109/EMBC.2015.7319548.
An estimated 7.9 million fracture injuries occur each year in the United States, of which a substantial fraction result in delayed or non-union. Current methods of monitoring fracture healing include taking x-rays and making clinical observations. However, x-ray confirmation of bone healing typically lags behind biologic healing, and physician assessment of healing is fraught with subjectivity. No standardized methods exist to assess the extent of healing that has taken place in a fracture. Without such knowledge, interventions to aid healing and prevent fracture non-union are often delayed, leading to increased morbidity and suffering to patients. We are developing an objective measurement tool that utilizes electrical impedance spectroscopy to distinguish between the various types of tissue present during the different stages of fracture healing. Preliminary measurements of cadaveric tissues reveal adequate spread in impedance measurements and differences in frequency response among different tissue types. Electrodes implanted in a simulated fracture created in an ex vivo cadaver model yield promising results for our system's ability to differentiate between the stages of fracture healing.
据估计，美国每年发生790万例骨折损伤，其中很大一部分会导致延迟愈合或不愈合。目前监测骨折愈合的方法包括进行X光检查和临床观察。然而，X光对骨愈合的确认通常滞后于生物愈合，而且医生对愈合的评估充满主观性。目前尚无标准化方法来评估骨折部位的愈合程度。缺乏此类信息时，促进愈合和预防骨折不愈合的干预措施往往会延迟，从而增加患者的发病率和痛苦。我们正在开发一种客观测量工具，利用电阻抗光谱技术区分骨折愈合不同阶段存在的各种组织类型。对尸体组织的初步测量显示，阻抗测量有足够的分布范围，不同组织类型之间的频率响应也存在差异。植入体外尸体模型模拟骨折处的电极，为我们系统区分骨折愈合阶段的能力带来了有前景的结果。
