| 摘要 |
The present invention provides a tissue tensiometer 2 for examining the visco-elastic properties of biological tissue. The tensiometer 2 is suitable for examining excised tissue samples and for use in vivo. The tensiometer 2 may also be used as a conventional indentometer to apply localised pressure to the tissue being examined or as a tensiometer to apply a shear force thereto. The tensiometer 2 comprises a slide member 6 that is reciprocally movable over a defined linear distance between a first end and a second end of the tensiometer 2, a displacement sensor 18 for measuring variation in the displacement of the slide member 6, a load cell 24, a biasing member 16 that acts to bias the slide member away from the second end of the tensiometer 2 and a probe 14 that is fixedly attached to the slide member 6 and has a distal end formed at the first end of the tensiometer 2 for connection to the tissue to be examined. The tensiometer 2 may be manually operated or the reciprocation of the slide member 6 may be automated. |
