Design Analysis and Fabrication of Counter Fit Implant for Fractured Femur Bone

Abstract

In the recent years, several techniques have been used to treat femur distal and diaphysis fracture. Among all the traditional fixation techniques, unstable fixation remains the biggest challenge for orthopedists. Researchers have recommended new approaches to deal with femur fracture. However, solely few had been successful in getting some better results. In the present work, a methodology comprising of design and finite-element analysis of a counter fit customized fixation plate has been suggested to provide a stable fixation. In this study, reverse engineering (RE) approach has been invoked to create a 3D model of a fresh fractured femur distal diaphysis bone using the computed tomography (CT) scan data available in digital imaging and communications in medicine (DICOM) format. To provide stable fixation, a counter fit customized fixation plate has been designed and simulated under static physiological loading conditions for three different biocompatible materials, viz., titanium alloy (Ti6Al4V), stainless steel (SS-316L), and cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloy (Co-Cr-Mo). Static stress distribution and deformation analysis of the clinical setup have been performed for the aforementioned materials. It has been observed that the stresses and deformation developed in all the materials are quite low. Further, fractured bone and designed implants have been manufactured using Additive Manufacturing (AM) set-up. This has been done to check the intactness of the implants. It has been observed that almost perfect fixation has been achieved. It implies that the customized fixation plates will provide stable fixation resulting in improved fracture union. The proposed work will assist the medical practitioners regarding the design and analysis of customized implants. This will reduce the post-surgical failures and residual pain due to non-union fractured region. newline