title: Development of a Patient-Specific Finite Element Model for Predicting Implant Failure in Pelvic Ring Fracture Fixation.
abstract: Introduction.The main purpose of this study is to develop an efficient technique for generating FE models of pelvic ring fractures that is capable of predicting possible failure regions of osteosynthesis with acceptable accuracy.Methods.Patient-specific FE models of two patients with osteoporotic pelvic fractures were generated. A validated FE model of an uninjured pelvis from our previous study was used as a master model. Then, fracture morphologies and implant positions defined by a trauma surgeon in the preoperative CT were manually introduced as 3D splines to the master model. Four loading cases were used as boundary conditions. Regions of high stresses in the models were compared with actual locations of implant breakages and loosening identified from follow-up X-rays.Results.Model predictions and the actual clinical outcomes matched well. For Patient A, zones of increased tension and maximum stress coincided well with the actual locations of implant loosening. For Patient B, the model predicted accurately the loosening of the implant in the anterior region.Conclusion.Since a significant reduction in time and labour was achieved in our mesh generation technique, it can be considered as a viable option to be implemented as a part of the clinical routine to aid presurgical planning and postsurgical management of pelvic ring fracture patients.
authors.affiliation: Auckland Bioengineering Institute, University of Auckland, 70 Symonds Street, Auckland, New Zealand; Menzies Health Institute, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Vickie
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-1680-4287
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Shim
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.lastname: Gather
authors.affiliation: Department of Trauma, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Leipzig, Liebigstr. 20, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Höch
authors.forename: David
authors.lastname: Schreiber
authors.affiliation: Department of Trauma, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Leipzig, Liebigstr. 20, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Ronny
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-0833-3099
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Grunert
authors.affiliation: Institute of Forensic Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Steffen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Peldschus
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.lastname: Josten
authors.affiliation: Department of Trauma, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Leipzig, Liebigstr. 20, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-8728-4549
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Böhme
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000465:Algorithms; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D020342:Finite Element Analysis; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000379:methods*; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D010384:Pelvic Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000293:injuries; D010388:Pelvis; D011312:Pressure; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed