Measuring the compressive viscoelastic mechanical properties of human cervical tissue using indentation.

摘要: The human cervix is an important mechanical barrier in pregnancy which must withstand the compressive and tensile forces generated from growing fetus. Premature cervical shortening resulting premature remodeling alterations of material properties are known to increase a woman׳s risk preterm birth (PTB). To understand role during potentially develop indentation techniques for vivo diagnostics identify women who at thus birth, we developed spherical technique measure time-dependent tissue taken patients undergoing hysterectomy. In this study present inverse finite element analysis (IFEA) that optimizes parameters viscoelastic model fit stress-relaxation response excised slices indentation. Here detail our IFEA methodology, report nonpregnant (NP) pregnant (PG) hysterectomy patients, slice-by-slice data whole specimens. reported here can be used behavior within small strain regime 25%.