Computational tools for the analysis of mechanical functionality of gastrointestinal structures

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Computational Biology
• Medical Engineering

Background:

• The gastrointestinal (GI) tract possesses complex biological tissues and structural conformation.
• Understanding GI tissue mechanical functionality in health and disease is crucial for developing advanced diagnostic and surgical procedures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop computational tools for the mechanical analysis of gastrointestinal structures.
• To provide a framework for investigating tissue behavior and interactions with medical devices.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing computational methods to evaluate tissue behavior and interactions with biomedical devices.
• Integrating expertise from medicine, bioengineering, computational and experimental biomechanics, bio-robotics, and materials science.
• Developing computational models using histological analysis, mechanical testing, and advanced numerical procedures.

Main Results:

• An outline of the computational mechanics approach for GI tissue investigation is presented.
• A general formulation is provided with specific applications to esophageal and colonic tissues.
• Preliminary results from numerical analysis of colonoscopy device-tissue interactions are shown.

Conclusions:

• The proposed computational mechanics approach offers a viable method for studying GI tissues.
• The findings support the feasibility and reliability of using these tools for medical applications.
• This work facilitates better planning and design of diagnostic and surgical procedures in the GI tract.