Biomechanical issues in bone transplantation.

Abstract

Because the biomechanical competence of the graft is a central issue, many research studies of bone grafts include a biomechanical component. The biomechanical evaluation serves as a bottom-line measure of the experimental outcome in which some measure of mechanical performance is compared among treatment groups. This article considers the biomechanics of grafts in the context of this experimental work and focuses on three issues: (1) the interplay between biology and biomechanics of grafts, (2) the effects of treatment choices on biomechanical properties, and (3) model factors that may influence biomechanical performance.