Abstract
Introduction
The number of total hip replacements (THR) increased around 3.5% by year in last decade. Osteoarthritis is the most important disease in the hip, with a prevalence of 10% in the older population (>85 years), according to the Swedish THA Register. THR have been increasing in last years, mainly in young patients between 45 to 59 years old. This type of patients needs a long term solution to prevent hip revision. Two commercial solutions for young patients, the resurfacing prosthesis and press fit one, were analysed in the present study by experimental and numerical models.
Methods
Two synthetic left models of composite femur (Sawbones®, model 3403), which replicates the cadaveric femur, and two composite pelvic bones were used to introduce two Comercial models of Hip resurfacing (Birmingham model) and Press-fit stem (Laffit Selft –locking stem press-fit model). The commercial hip stems were chosen according to the femurs head size (resurfacing) and the femur size to press-fit Hip stem. Then, they were introduced by an experimented surgeon. The experimental set-up was applied according to a system defined previously by Ramos et al. (2013). Numerical models were implemented by replicating the experimental tests. A 3D scanning was used to identify the stem position in each model. The properties of cortical and cancel bone and hip prosthesis were also taken into account by these models. Contact was established in the interfaces for both press-fit solutions. The femur rotates distally and Pelvic moves up and down according model changes, in order to guarantee models with the same boundary conditions.
Results
The numerical models were already validated experimentally using different loading conditions. Results from numerical models, present different distribution in the two commercial solutions in comparison to intact articulation (Figure 1). The medial aspect is the most critical in the femur. The resurfacing hip presents a closer behavior than the intact femur at proximal region. The press-fit hip presents a strain reduction in proximal region, which promotes the bone loss observed in clinical cases. The changes in the contact Hip joint for commercial solutions modify strain distribution distally, in all femur aspects. The press fit solution increase the bending in medial aspect.
