Finite Element Analysis of the Application of Ultrasound-Generated Acoustic Radiation Force to Biomaterials

While most bone fractures can heal simply by being stabilized, others can take a longer time to rejoin or they could fail to merge back together completely. Numerous studies have shown the positive effects that ultrasonic therapy have had on delayed-union and non-union bone fracture repair but little is known as to what specific biological mechanisms are at play. Ultrasound may be a valuable tool for bone tissue regeneration at these fracture sites using a tissue engineering approach, however, more must be understood about its impact on stimulating tissues to heal before this can be a reality. For that reason, this study shows that it is possible to utilize an in-silico finite element analysis model to show both three-dimensional predictive hydrogel deformation and the displacement of beads and cells in the hydrogel from the ultrasound-generated acoustic radiation force. The model used for this is collagen based hydrogels seeded with pre-osteoblast cells and polystyrene beads. This is done in order to provide quantitative confirmation of real-time deformation imaging in a study showing the effect of remote physical forces provided by ultrasonic therapy on bone healing