Finite Element Modeling Application in Forensic Practice: A Periprosthetic Femoral Fracture Case Study
Open Access
- 23 June 2020
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Frontiers Media SA in Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology
- Vol. 8, 619
- https://doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2020.00619
Abstract
The incidence of periprosthetic fractures has rapidly increased in the last two decades and has been the cause of a large number of revision surgeries and permanent physical disability for many patients, as well as a significant socioeconomic burden for many nations. This research deals with a periprosthetic femur fracture real event, occurred following a total hip arthroplasty and treated with one of the most widespread internal fixation methods: the implant of a periprosthetic femur plate system. A Finite Element analysis was performed to investigate the implanted femur plate break after a short follow-up and to understand the plate break causes. Such events are currently object of forensic debate as more and more often hospitals, surgeons, and medical device manufacturers are denounced by patients to whom similar events occur. In this work, different load situations acting on the femur during daily and incidental activities were simulated, in order to validate the correct behavior of the plate, according to the intended use recommended by the manufacturer. The analysis demonstrates that the plate failure can occur in situations of unconventional loading such as that caused by stumbling and in presence of incomplete bone healing.This publication has 47 references indexed in Scilit:
- Are Gender, Comorbidity, and Obesity Risk Factors for Postoperative Periprosthetic Fractures After Primary Total Hip Arthroplasty?The Journal of Arthroplasty, 2013
- A Review of Periprosthetic Femoral Fractures Associated With Total Hip ArthroplastyGeriatric Orthopaedic Surgery & Rehabilitation, 2012
- An Overview of Metallic Biomaterials for Bone Support and ReplacementPublished by IntechOpen ,2011
- DIFFERENTIAL THERMOGRAPHY FOR EXPERIMENTAL, FULL-FIELD STRESS ANALYSIS OF HIP ARTHROPLASTYJournal of Mechanics in Medicine and Biology, 2010
- Spatial and temporal variations of mechanical properties and mineral content of the external callus during bone healingBone, 2009
- STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF SKELETAL BODY ELEMENTS: NUMERICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL METHODSPublished by World Scientific Pub Co Pte Ltd ,2009
- Comparative study of nanomechanical properties of cements used in teeth restorationJournal of Physics: Condensed Matter, 2007
- Tetrahedral versus hexahedral finite elements in numerical modelling of the proximal femurMedical Engineering & Physics, 2006
- The Biomechanics of Human Femurs in Axial and Torsional Loading: Comparison of Finite Element Analysis, Human Cadaveric Femurs, and Synthetic FemursJournal of Biomechanical Engineering, 2006
- Prediction of Femoral Impact Forces in Falls on the HipJournal of Biomechanical Engineering, 1991