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An Evaluation of Storage, Hydration and Reporting Protocols for Biomechanical Testing of the Rat Femoral Neck

The current study evaluated the effect of frozen storage and hydration under vacuum on
density and breaking strength of the rat femoral neck. Femurs were frozen in saline for periods of
15, 34, 122, or 831 days.
No significant effect on bone density was detected for freezing periods of 15, 34, and 122
days, indicating that frozen storage of specimens in saline is moisture-preserving for periods up to
four months. Freezing periods of 34 and 122 days were used to examine the effect of frozen
storage on bone biomechanical bahavior. Plastic strain increased for the 34-day storage period
(p=0.0453) and decreased for the 122-day storage period (p<0.0001). Strain to failure
(p<0.0001) and yield strain (p<0.0001) decreased and Youngs modulus (p=0.0018) increased
after 122 days of frozen storage.
Hydration for one hour after the 15-day storage period significantly decreased density
compared to fresh (p=0.0407) and frozen-stored (p=0.0008) specimens. In the 122-day storage
experiment, hydration for three hours significantly decreased density compared to the frozen-
stored bones, both between (p=0.0059) and within samples (p=0.0270). Hydration did not
significantly alter the density of bones frozen for 831 days.
Hydration of bones frozen for 122-days decreased yield strain (p=0.0100) and strain at
failure (p=0.0214) compared to fresh bones. Plastic strain (p=0.0474) and strain at failure
(p=0.00116) both increased and Youngs modulus decreased for hydrated bones compared to
frozen-stored bones. Bones frozen for 831 days and hydrated for either one hour or three hours
showed an increase in plastic strain (p=0.0469) with the longer hydration time.
These results indicate frozen storage for up to 122 days does not affect bone density, but
does alter the biomechanical behavior of the rat femoral neck for storage periods as short as 34
days. Hydration decreases density in bones frozen for up to 122 days, but extending the frozen
storage period to 831 days prevents additional dehydration of stored bones. The biomechanical
bahavior of the rat femoral neck is affected by hydration for bones frozen for both 122 and 831
days.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:LSU/oai:etd.lsu.edu:etd-0418102-220607
Date19 April 2002
CreatorsReeves, Michael Wayne
ContributorsYan Chen, Maren Hegsted, Michael J. Keenan
PublisherLSU
Source SetsLouisiana State University
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
Typetext
Formatapplication/pdf
Sourcehttp://etd.lsu.edu/docs/available/etd-0418102-220607/
Rightsunrestricted, I hereby grant to LSU or its agents the right to archive and to make available my thesis or dissertation in whole or in part in the University Libraries in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all proprietary rights, such as patent rights. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis or dissertation.

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