Prediction of nonlinear elastic behaviour of vaginal tissue: experimental results and model formulation

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2010

Authors

Martins, P (Author) Other; Pena, E (Author) Other; Calvo, B (Author) Other; Doblare, M (Author) Other; Mascarenhas, T (Author) FMUP; Natal M N Jorge (Author) FEUP; Ferreira, A (Author) FEUP

Journal

Title: Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering

Vol. 13 No. 2

Pages: 327-337

ISSN: 1025-5842

Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 38 Citations

ISI Web of Science

Scopus - 39 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Engineering and technology > Environmental biotechnology

CORDIS: Technological sciences > Engineering > Biomedical enginnering ; Technological sciences > Engineering > Biomaterial engineering

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-003-AG3

DOI: 10.1080/10255840903208197

Abstract (EN): The mechanical properties of the vaginal tissue need to be characterised to perform accurate simulations of prolapse and other pelvic disorders that commonly affect women. This is also a fundamental step towards the improvement of therapeutic techniques such as surgery. Issues like the efficiency of using autologous tissue in pelvic reconstruction may be addressed. The goal of this study was to characterise the elastic behaviour of vaginal tissue. For this purpose, prolapsed vaginal tissue from eight different post-menopausal patients, excised during prolapse corrective surgery, was mechanically tested. The mechanical testing of vaginal tissue, consisting of uniaxial tension tests performed along the longitudinal axis of the vagina, revealed the nonlinear mechanical behaviour of the tissue. The material model parameters were fit to the experimental data using the Levenberg-Marquardt optimisation algorithm. All the curve fittings showed a good agreement between experimental and theoretical results, evidenced by R2 values close to 1 and by very low epsilon values.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 11