Development of Atomic Force Microscope for Arthroscopic Knee Cartilage Inspection

A recent study, based on ex vivo unconfined compression testing of normal, diseased, and enzymatically altered cartilage, revealed that a scanning force microscope (SFM), used as a nano-intender, is sensitive enough to enable measurement of alterations in the biomechanical properties of cartilage. Based on these ex vivo measurements, we have designed a quantitative diagnosis tool, the scanning force arthroscope (SFA), able to perform in vivo measurements during a standard arthroscopic procedure. For stabilizing and positioning the instrument relative to the surface under investigation, a pneumatic system has been developed. A segmented piezoelectric tube was used to perform the indentation displacement, and a pyramidal nanometer-scale silicon tip mounted on a cantilever with an integrated deflection sensor measured the biomechanical properties of cartilage. Mechanical means were designed to protect the fragile cantilever during the insertion of the instrument into the knee joint. The stability of the pneumatic stage was checked with a prototype SFA. In a series of tests, load-displacement curves were recorded in a knee phantom and, more recently, in a pig's leg.