Jean-Philippe Jehl

Abstract:

Nowadays, it is increasingly understood that the mechanical characteristics of living systems play a fundamental role in their function. Their determination is quite difficult and are required in many applications; for instance, the manufacture of dummies used in the surgical simulation procedures (internal training and learning in continuing education) [1, 2], the manufacture of specialized neo-tissue [3], and the numerical investigation of tissue response to external stimuli. The determination of the mechanical properties of soft biological materials is of great interest for imaging, where these material properties can be used to distinguish healthy and pathological tissues [4]. Mechanical tests are carried out to study the mechanical behavior of biological tissues [5]. This work proposes to use spherical depth sensing indentation experiments for the characterization of soft tissue (cardiac tissue). The tissue dries up quickly and therefore a liquid environment is necessary to perform the experiment. The spherical depth sensing indentation has recently been adapted to operate in such an environment [6]. The present work focuses on the results obtained for cardiac tissue samples. The built-up procedure appear to be effective in a wide range of deformations.