Biomechanics & Biomaterials MCQs

Orthopedic surgical implants manufactured from 316L stainless steel perform well in normal host tissues but can be susceptible to localized corrosion. Which specific alloying element is added to 316L stainless steel to enhance its resistance to pitting and crevice corrosion in chloride-rich in vivo environments?

Which of the following orthopedic implant materials has a modulus of elasticity most similar to that of cortical bone, thereby minimizing stress shielding?

A 45-year-old patient undergoes revision total hip arthroplasty. The surgeon utilizes a titanium alloy femoral stem and a cobalt-chromium femoral head. Over time, the release of metal ions at the modular head-neck junction leads to adverse local tissue reactions. Which of the following electrochemical processes is most primarily responsible for this degradation due to the contact of dissimilar metals?

A surgeon uses a stainless steel screw through a titanium plate for internal fixation of a diaphyseal femur fracture.

What type of corrosion is most likely to occur due to this construct?

Which of the following biomechanical material properties is represented by the total area under the stress-strain curve up to the point of failure?

A patient is undergoing revision hip arthroplasty, and the surgeon plans to use a pulsatile lavage system to clean the operative field. What is a potential complication if the pressure of the pulsatile lavage is set too high?

During intraoperative ACL reconstruction tensioning, the graft is held at a constant length. Over time, the surgeon notes a gradual decrease in the force required to maintain this specific length. This viscoelastic property is known as:

In total joint arthroplasty, the use of modular components (such as a titanium stem with a cobalt-chromium head) can lead to a specific type of electrochemical degradation at the modular junction. What type of corrosion is driven by the contact of two dissimilar metals in an electrolytic solution (synovial fluid)?

To minimize stress shielding around an orthopedic implant, a biomaterial should ideally possess a modulus of elasticity similar to cortical bone. Among standard structural implant metals, which of the following is closest to the elastic modulus of cortical bone?

Which of the following orthopedic implant materials possesses a Young's modulus most similar to that of human cortical bone, thereby minimizing the risk of stress shielding in arthroplasty?

Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) bone cement is commonly utilized for implant fixation in total joint arthroplasty. Which of the following best describes its fundamental mechanical properties?

In orthopedic biomaterials, Young's modulus is a measure of a material's intrinsic stiffness. Which of the following lists represents the correct sequence of materials from highest to lowest Young's modulus (greatest to least stiffness)?

Galvanic corrosion is a significant concern when dissimilar metals are implanted in the same physiological environment. If a stainless steel screw is placed through a titanium plate in an orthopedic construct, which of the following best describes the resulting electrochemical process?

A 65-year-old female with a modular unipolar hemiarthroplasty presents with new-onset groin pain and a large sterile effusion 5 years postoperatively. Revision surgery reveals black debris and corrosion at the head-neck junction. Which of the following best describes the underlying tribological mechanism?

Which of the following best describes the viscoelastic property of cortical bone when subjected to a rapid rate of loading?