Biomedical Engineering: Bone and Fracture Healing

This set of flashcards focuses on key vocabulary and concepts in biomedical engineering related to bone health, fracture healing, and the physiological principles governing these processes.

Wolff’s Law

Bone adapts its structure to support loads and changes in mechanical stress.

Bone Remodeling

The process where bone tissue is replaced and reshaped in response to stress.

Bone Homeostasis

The balance of bone formation and resorption necessary for maintaining bone strength.

Microcracks

Small fractures in bone that can accumulate with increased loading and affect bone strength.

Fracture Healing Phases

Inflammation, repair, and remodeling stages that bones go through to heal.

Primary Fracture Healing

Direct healing with contact of bone ends and remodeling through Haversian systems.

Secondary Fracture Healing

Indirect healing involving callus formation and remodeling.

Osteoporosis

A condition characterized by significant bone density loss and increased fracture risk.

Mechanical Factors in Bone Healing

Influences of forces such as bending and torsion on the healing process of bones.

Scaffold Design Criteria

Parameters that scaffolds must meet to facilitate bone regeneration, including mechanical stability and bioactivity.

Osteoinductive Factors

Substances that promote the differentiation of stem cells into bone-forming osteoblasts.