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In vitro skin puncture methodology for material characterization
Joseph LeSueur1, Carolyn Hampton2, Michael Kleinberger2
1Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, Marquette University and Medical College of Wisconsin, WI, USA; Neroscience Research Labs, Zablocki Veterans Affairs Medical Center, WI, USA.
Medical Engineering & Physics
|August 19, 2024
Summary
Understanding natural skin tension is crucial for accurate puncture studies. Pre-conditioning skin samples under physiological tension improves mechanical testing reliability for cosmetics, surgery, and protective gear development.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Materials Science
- Dermatology
Background:
- Quantifying skin's mechanical properties is vital for cosmetics, surgery, forensics, and protective clothing.
- Previous skin puncture studies lacked consistent, physiological boundary conditions.
- Skin exhibits varying natural tension based on anatomical location.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish natural skin tension using shrinkage experiments.
- To investigate the effects of initial tension and pre-conditioning on skin puncture resistance.
- To define optimal boundary conditions for in vitro skin mechanical testing.
Main Methods:
- Porcine skin samples from different anatomical locations were excised to measure natural tension via diameter reduction.
- Quasistatic puncture tests were conducted using a 5 mm spherical impactor on skin samples under varying initial tensions and pre-conditioning cycles.
- An electrohydraulic load frame and custom clamping apparatus were employed for controlled testing.
Main Results:
- Skin shrinkage varied significantly by anatomical location (leg: 19.5%, flank: 28.5%, abdomen: 38.4%).
- Lower initial tension (<5%) resulted in higher force at failure (279.2 N) compared to higher initial tension (>25%, 195.1 N).
- Eight pre-conditioning cycles reduced hysteresis by 45% and significantly decreased variation in mechanical properties.
- Pre-conditioned samples at physiological tension (14-25%) showed greater normalized force at failure (278.3 N/mm) than non-conditioned samples (234.4 N/mm).
Conclusions:
- Physiological initial tension and pre-conditioning are essential for reliable in vitro skin puncture studies.
- Anatomical location dictates natural skin tension, which must be replicated for accurate testing.
- Characterizing skin's mechanical behavior under defined boundary conditions aids in developing finite element models for protective clothing and forensic analysis.
