Finite Element Analysis for Pre-Clinical Testing of Custom-Made Knee Implants for Complex Reconstruction Surgery
In severe cases of total knee arthroplasty, where off-the-shelf implants are not suitable or available anymore (i.e., in cases with extended bone defects or periprosthetic fractures), custom-made knee implants represent one of the few remaining treatment options. Design verification and validation o...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Applied Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/9/4787 |
| _version_ | 1797505475012460544 |
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| author | Georg Hettich Josef-Benedikt Weiß Benjamin Wünsch Thomas M. Grupp |
| author_facet | Georg Hettich Josef-Benedikt Weiß Benjamin Wünsch Thomas M. Grupp |
| author_sort | Georg Hettich |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In severe cases of total knee arthroplasty, where off-the-shelf implants are not suitable or available anymore (i.e., in cases with extended bone defects or periprosthetic fractures), custom-made knee implants represent one of the few remaining treatment options. Design verification and validation of such custom-made implants is very challenging. The aim of this study is to support surgeons and engineers in their decision on whether a developed design is suitable for the specific case. A novel method for the pre-clinical testing of custom-made knee implants is suggested, which relies on the biomechanical test and finite element analysis (FEA) of a comparable reference implant. The method comprises six steps: (1) identification of the main potential failure mechanism and its corresponding FEA quantity of interest, (2) reproduction of the biomechanical test of the reference implant via FEA, (3) identification of the maximum value of the corresponding FEA quantity of interest at the required load level, (4) definition of this value as the acceptance criterion for the FEA of the custom-made implant, (5) reproduction of the biomechanical test with the custom-made implant via FEA, (6) conclusion, whether the acceptance criterion is fulfilled or not. Two exemplary cases of custom-made knee implants were evaluated with this method. The FEA acceptance criterion derived from the reference implants was fulfilled in both custom-made implants. Subsequent biomechanical tests verified the FEA results. The suggested method allows a quantitative evaluation of the biomechanical properties of a custom-made knee implant without performing a biomechanical test with it. This represents an important contribution in the pre-clinical testing of custom-made implants in order to achieve a sustainable treatment of complex revision total knee arthroplasty patients in a timely manner. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T04:19:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-98338e4335d14a6e85631690ef1fb1a7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T04:19:07Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-98338e4335d14a6e85631690ef1fb1a72023-11-23T07:53:51ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172022-05-01129478710.3390/app12094787Finite Element Analysis for Pre-Clinical Testing of Custom-Made Knee Implants for Complex Reconstruction SurgeryGeorg Hettich0Josef-Benedikt Weiß1Benjamin Wünsch2Thomas M. Grupp3Research & Development Department, Aesculap AG, 78532 Tuttlingen, GermanyResearch & Development Department, Aesculap AG, 78532 Tuttlingen, GermanyResearch & Development Department, AQ Solutions GmbH, 50354 Hürth, GermanyResearch & Development Department, Aesculap AG, 78532 Tuttlingen, GermanyIn severe cases of total knee arthroplasty, where off-the-shelf implants are not suitable or available anymore (i.e., in cases with extended bone defects or periprosthetic fractures), custom-made knee implants represent one of the few remaining treatment options. Design verification and validation of such custom-made implants is very challenging. The aim of this study is to support surgeons and engineers in their decision on whether a developed design is suitable for the specific case. A novel method for the pre-clinical testing of custom-made knee implants is suggested, which relies on the biomechanical test and finite element analysis (FEA) of a comparable reference implant. The method comprises six steps: (1) identification of the main potential failure mechanism and its corresponding FEA quantity of interest, (2) reproduction of the biomechanical test of the reference implant via FEA, (3) identification of the maximum value of the corresponding FEA quantity of interest at the required load level, (4) definition of this value as the acceptance criterion for the FEA of the custom-made implant, (5) reproduction of the biomechanical test with the custom-made implant via FEA, (6) conclusion, whether the acceptance criterion is fulfilled or not. Two exemplary cases of custom-made knee implants were evaluated with this method. The FEA acceptance criterion derived from the reference implants was fulfilled in both custom-made implants. Subsequent biomechanical tests verified the FEA results. The suggested method allows a quantitative evaluation of the biomechanical properties of a custom-made knee implant without performing a biomechanical test with it. This represents an important contribution in the pre-clinical testing of custom-made implants in order to achieve a sustainable treatment of complex revision total knee arthroplasty patients in a timely manner.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/9/4787finite element analysiscustom-made implantspre-clinical testing |
| spellingShingle | Georg Hettich Josef-Benedikt Weiß Benjamin Wünsch Thomas M. Grupp Finite Element Analysis for Pre-Clinical Testing of Custom-Made Knee Implants for Complex Reconstruction Surgery Applied Sciences finite element analysis custom-made implants pre-clinical testing |
| title | Finite Element Analysis for Pre-Clinical Testing of Custom-Made Knee Implants for Complex Reconstruction Surgery |
| title_full | Finite Element Analysis for Pre-Clinical Testing of Custom-Made Knee Implants for Complex Reconstruction Surgery |
| title_fullStr | Finite Element Analysis for Pre-Clinical Testing of Custom-Made Knee Implants for Complex Reconstruction Surgery |
| title_full_unstemmed | Finite Element Analysis for Pre-Clinical Testing of Custom-Made Knee Implants for Complex Reconstruction Surgery |
| title_short | Finite Element Analysis for Pre-Clinical Testing of Custom-Made Knee Implants for Complex Reconstruction Surgery |
| title_sort | finite element analysis for pre clinical testing of custom made knee implants for complex reconstruction surgery |
| topic | finite element analysis custom-made implants pre-clinical testing |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/9/4787 |
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