It is known that severe cases of intervertebral disc (IVD) disease may lead to the loss of natural intervertebral height, which can cause radiating pain throughout the lower back and legs. To this point, surgeons perform lumbar fusion using interbody cages, posterior instrumentation and bone graft to fuse adjacent vertebrae together, thus restoring the intervertebral height and alleviating the pain. However, this surgical procedure greatly decreases the range of motion (ROM) of the treated segment, mainly caused by high cage stiffness. Additive manufacturing can be an interesting tool to reduce the cage's elastic modulus (E), by adding porosity (P) in its design. A porous cage may lead to an improved osteointegration since there is more volume in which bone can grow. This work aims to develop a finite element model (FEM) of the L4-L5 functional spinal unit (FSU) and investigate the loss of ROM induced by solid and porous cages. The Intact-FEM of L4-L5 was created, which considered the vertebrae, IVD and ligaments with their respective material properties1. The model was validated by comparing its ROM with that of other studies. Moments of 10 Nm were applied on top of L4 while the bottom of L5 was fixed to simulate flexion, extension, lateral bending and axial rotation2. The lumbar cages, posterior instrumentation and bone graft were then modelled to create the Cage-FEMs. Titanium was chosen for the instrumentation and cages. Cages with different stiffness were considered to represent porous structures. The solid cage had the highest modulus (E0=110 GPa, P0=0%) whereas the porous cages were simulated by lowering the modulus (E1=32.8 GPa, P1=55%; E2=13.9 GPa, P2=76%; E3=5.52 GPa, P3=89%; E4=0.604 GPa, P4=98%), following the literature3. The IVD was removed in Cage-FEMs to allow the implant's insertion [Fig. 1] and the previous loading scenarios were simulated to assess the effects of cage porosity on ROM.Background
Materials and Methods
Finite element (FE) models are commonly used to analyse the mechanical behaviour of the bone under different conditions. They provide detail information but they can be numerically expensive and this limits their use in cases where large or numerous simulations are required. On the other hand, 2D models show less computational cost but the precision of results depends on the approach used for the simplification. Three 2D approaches are commonly used: models without side-plate (WOSP)[1]; models with variable thickness side-plate and constant cortical thickness (SPCT)[2]; models with side-plate and variable cortical thickness (SPVT)[3]. The aim of this study is to determine which 2D approach reproduces best the FE results obtained with a 3D model involving hip stems. The 2D models were generated by the intersection of the 3D model with the stem symmetry plane. Three approaches were considered to assure 3D-2D correspondence: 1) consider variable thickness for the cortical elements so that their transversal area moment of inertia equals the cross-sectional area moment of inertia from the 3D model (model WOSP); 2) include an additional side-plate with variable thickness to match the area moment of inertia from the 3D model, and consider constant thickness for the cortical bone elements (model SPCT); 3) include the side-plate but consider variable thickness for the cortical bone elements, derived from the 3D model (model SPVT). In all cases, the cancellous bone and stem elements had variable thickness computed so that their transversal area moment of inertia was equal to the cross-sectional area moment of inertia measured in the 3D model. This was done at different levels (Fig.1), providing a thickness distribution for the 2D elements. FE analyses were carried out for the static loading condition simulating stair climbing[4]. All materials were defined as linear isotropic and homogeneous. The post-operative situation where bone ingrowth is achieved was considered, resulting in bonded contact between the bone and the implant. The comparison between the 2D and 3D models was done based on three physical quantities: the Von Mises stresses (σVM); the strain energy density (Introduction
Methods
Cementless stems are fixed to the surrounding bone by means of mechanical press-fit. Short-, mid-, and long term outcomes are good for this type of fixation despite that only a part of the stem surface is in contact with the surrounding bone. Several studies show that the contact ratio achieved after surgery between the stem and the surrounding bone ranged between 15% and 60%. Then, only a part of the stem-bone interface presents a press-fit. The rest of the stem-bone interface is only in contact or presents an interfacial gap inherent to the surgical technique. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the difference in the primary stability of a cementless stem between a press-fit combined with contact and a press-fit combined with gap achieved after the surgery. A finite element study was carried out on a composite bone implanted with a femoral stem and subjected to physiological loading simulating stair climbing [1]. All materials were defined as isotropic homogeneous. The stem-bone interface was divided into 4 areas: the superior plasma spray, the inferior plasma spray, the polished surface of the stem in contact with the cancellous bone, and the plasma spray surface of the stem in contact with the cortical bone. Each contact area can be either in contact with a press-fit, either in contact without press-fit or can present a gap. This result in a total of 28 cases: 14 where there is a press-fit combined with contact and 14 cases where there is a press-fit combined with gap.Introduction
Materials & Methods
Originally, the vertical expandable titanium rib (VEPTR™) was developed to treat children with Thoracic insufficiency syndrome secondary to fused ribs and congenital scoliosis. Over the years its usage has widen and is currently being used to treat all etiology of early onset scoliosis (EOS). A major draw back remains the size of the titanium VEPTR™ implant. In keeping with the new trend of chrome-cobalt alloy (CoCr). spinal implants, we set out to explore if redesigning the VEPTR™ was mechanically sound. The aim of this study was twofold. Firstly, we investigate the mechanical properties of a VEPTR™ made with CoCr alloy compared to that of titanium alloy. Secondly we investigated how much we could down size the VEPTR™. Finite element analyses were performed on 3 different VEPTR™ designs (rod diameter of 6mm, 5mm and 4mm) subjected to a compressive load of 500N (equivalent to a 50Kg child). For each configuration, two materials, titanium alloy and chrome-cobalt alloy, were used. Maximum Von Mises stress distribution (VMSD), plastic strain (PS) and total displacement (TD) of the VEPTR™ were measured as indicators of mechanical properties of the implant.Introduction
Materials & Methods
After arthroplasty, stress shielding and high shear stresses at the bone-implant interface are common problems of load bearing implants (e.g. hip prostheses). Stiff implants cause stress shielding, which is thought to contribute to bone resorption1. High shear stresses, originated by low-stiffness implants, have been related to pain and interfacial micro-movements², prohibiting adequate implant initial fixation. A non-homogeneous distribution of mechanical properties within the implant could reduce the stress shielding and interfacial shear stresses3. Such an implant is called “functionally graded implant” (FGI). FGI require porous materials with well-controlled micro-architecture, which can now be obtained with new additive manufacturing technologies (e.g. Electron Beam Melting). Finite element (FE) simulations in ANSYS-v14.5 are used to develop an optimization methodology to design a hip FGI. A coronal cut was performed on a femur model (Sawbones®) with an implanted Profemur®TL (Wright Medical Inc.) stem to obtain the 2D-geometry for FE simulations. The central part of the FGI stem was made porous, the neck and inferior tip were solid. Ti6Al4V elastic material was assumed (E=120 GPa, v=0.3). Three bone qualities were considered for the optimization: poor (E=6GPa; v=0.3); good (E=12GPa; v=0.3); excellent (E=30GPa; v=0.3). The structure of bone evolves to maintain a reasonable level of the strains. Similarly in the proposed algorithm, the strut sections of the porous material evolve to keep stresses (proportional to strains) at a reasonable level. Starting with a very small strut section, resulting in an almost zero-rigidity stem, strut sections are increased or decreased as a function of the stresses they support. This is done incrementally, until force values corresponding to normal walking of an 80 kg person (1867 N)4 are reached. Force direction was vertical and no action of the abductors was considered, to analyze the worst case scenario. The optimized FGI microstructure is defined by the strut diameter distributions. Since the distance between struts remain constant, variations in strut diameters result in variations in density. Optimized FGI porous structure was compared for the three bone qualities considered and with a solid stem in terms of bone stresses.Introduction
Methodology
Typical failure of cementless total hip arthroplasty is the lack of initial stability. Indeed, presence of motion at the bone implant-interface leads to formation of fibrous tissue that prevents bone ingrowth, which in turn may lead to loosening of the implant. It has been shown that interfacial micromotion around 40 produces partial ingrowth, while micromotion exceeding 150 completely inhibits bone ingrowth. Finite element analyses (FEA) are widely used to evaluate the initial stability of cementless THA in pre-clinical validation. Untill now, most FE models developed to predict initial stability of cementless implants were performed based on static load, by selecting the greatest load at a particular time of the cycle activity, but in fact the hip is exposed to varied load during the activity. The aim of this study is to investigate the difference in the predicted micromotion induced by static, quasi-static and dynamic loading conditions. Finite element analysis (FEA) was performed on a Profemur®TL implanted into a composite bone. The implant orientation was validated in a previous study [3]. All materials were defined as linear isotropic homogeneous. Static and dynamic FEA was performed for the loading conditions defined by simulating stair-climbing. In the static analysis, the applied resultant force (calculated with a body weight of 836N) were 951N and 2107N to simulate the abductor muscle and the hip joint contact forces, respectively [4]. In the dynamic analysis, the applied resultant force can be seen on Fig. 1. The initial stability was extracted on 54 points (Fig. 2) located on the plasma spray surface by calculating the difference between the final displacement of the prosthesis and the final displacement of the composite bone.Introduction
Materials & Methods
Modeling the press-fit that occurs in Total Hip Arthroplasty (THA) cementless implants is crucial for the prediction of micromotion using finite element analysis (FEA). Some studies investigated the effect of the press-fit magnitude and found a direct influence on the micromotion [1,2]. They assumed in their model that press-fit occurs throughout the prosthesis. However [3] found using computed tomography measurement that only 43% of the stem-bone interfaces is really in contact. The aim of this study is to investigate the press-fit effect at the stem-bone interface on the implant micromotion. Finite element analysis (FEA) was performed on a Profemur® TL implanted into a Sawbones®. The implant orientation was validated in a previous study [4]. All materials were defined as linear isotropic homogeneous. FEA was carried out for the static loading conditions defined by [5] simulating walking fastly. Frictional contact between the bone and the prosthesis was assumed all along the prosthesis with a coefficient μ set to 0, 63 for the plasma spray (Fig. 1a) and 0,39 for the polished surface (Fig. 1b) [6]. Firstly, FEA was performed without press-fit (Fig. 2a) and then press-fit was simulated with an interference of 0,05 mm [2] between stem and bone in specific areas: superior (Fig. 2b), intermediate (Fig. 2c), inferior (Fig. 2d), and cortical alone (Fig. 2e) and finally over the entire surface in contact with the bone. The press-fit effect at the stem-bone interface on the micromotion was investigated. Measurement of the micromotion was realised on different points located on the plasma spray surface by calculating the difference between the final displacement of the prosthesis and the final displacement of the bone.Introduction
Methods
