Title: Physicochemical properties of fixation plates used in pectus excavatum treatment

Authors: Anita Krauze, Wojciech Kajzer, Witold Walke, Jozef Dzielicki

Addresses: Institute of Engineering Materials and Biomaterials, Silesian University of Technology, Gliwice 44-100, Poland. ' Institute of Engineering Materials and Biomaterials, Silesian University of Technology, Gliwice 44-100, Poland. ' Institute of Engineering Materials and Biomaterials, Silesian University of Technology, Gliwice 44-100, Poland. ' Academic Center of Minimally Invasive Surgery of Adults and Children, Zabrze 41-800, Poland

Abstract: This paper presents evaluations of surface damage and biomechanical analysis of plates made up of Cr-Ni-Mo stainless steel, used in pectus excavatum treatment. The corrosion tests were realised with the use of the potentiodynamic method. The VoltaLab® PGP 201 system for electrochemical tests was applied. The numerical analysis was performed for: the stabiliser of 460 mm length, 16 mm width and 2.5, 3.5 and 4.5 mm thickness. The tests showed that structure of the steel plates were made of the PN-ISO 5832-1 standard. On the basis of the obtained results it can be stated that the mechanical damage of the plates| surfaces are the result of fitting of the plates to the anatomical curvature of chest with the use of the surgical tool. The surface damage is induced in the given deformation regions and is a potential reason of corrosion. The numerical analysis shows that stresses in plates did not exceed the yield point: for the stainless steel R_p0,2' min = 590 MPa. Values of maximum displacements occuring in the stabilising bar in the range of clinically acceptable displacements. The obtained results are the basis for the optimisation of mechanical and physicochemical properties of the metallic biomaterial. On the basis of the obtained results it can be stated that the stainless steel can be applied in the funnel chest treatment. This paper presents the influence of surface damage and stresses and displacement of plates used in the pectus excavatum treatment on the corrosion resistance. [Received 11 April 2006; Accepted 12 March 2007]

Keywords: materials; biomaterials; metallic alloys; corrosion resistance; numerical techniques; physicochemical properties; fixation plates; pectus excavatum treatment; surface damage; stainless steel; electrochemical testing; displacement; stresses; anterior chest wall; funnel chest treatment.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCMSSE.2007.016429

International Journal of Computational Materials Science and Surface Engineering, 2007 Vol.1 No.3, pp.351 - 365

Published online: 28 Dec 2007 *

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