The New Jersey Institute of Technology's
Electronic Theses & Dissertations Project

Title:	Computer aided stress analysis of the femur with prosthetic hip stem utilizing computed tomography
Author:	Chang, Wei-Chun
View Online:	njit-etd1994-037 (xiv, [ii], 173 pages ~ 8.3 MB pdf)
Department:	Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
Degree:	Doctor of Philosophy
Program:	Mechanical Engineering
Document Type:	Dissertation
Advisory Committee:	Linden, Martin J. (Committee chair) Chen, Rong-Yaw (Committee member) Engler, Peter (Committee member) Levy, Nouri (Committee member) Mayott, Clarence W. (Committee member)
Date:	1994-01
Keywords:	Femur--Tomography. Artificial hip joints--Mechanical properties. Finite element method. Strains and stresses--Analysis--Automation.
Availability:	Unrestricted
Abstract:	A computer aided design and analysis method, utilizing computed tomography (CT) is developed, which together with a finite element program determines the stress and deformation patterns in the femur with hip prosthesis. The CT scan data file provides the geometry and the material parameters for the generated finite element model. The three-dimensional finite element model of the femur with hip prosthesis is automatically generated from the CT data file by a preprocessing procedure. The preprocessor includes a CT image display, edge detector, nodes generation, prosthesis simulator, mesh generator and model display. The loading conditions applied on the finite element model are determined from existing gait analysis including joint force and muscle force. Formatted input data for ANSYS (Swanson Analysis Systems Inc.) finite element program is generated by the preprocessor. In this research, the influence on the stress pattern of different prosthetic materials and fixation, such as cobalt-chromium alloy or titanium alloy prosthesis, also cemented or porous-coated prosthesis are studied. A comparison of the stress patterns for the three different femora is made and a radiographic follow-up study in two cases is carried out at 14 months and 12 months postoperation for analyzing the bone remodeling process. As a result of the calculated stress patterns in the femur with prosthesis, it is found that the cobalt-chromium alloy prosthesis unloads the calcar cortical bone and the titanium alloy prosthesis decreases the stress within the prosthetic stem except for the proximal side. The highest calculated stress is approximately 12% of the fatigue limit for cobalt-chromium alloy prosthesis, and approximately 4% for the titanium alloy prosthesis. Comparing the porous coating model with the cemented model, the porous coating model leads to decreased bone stresses, reduced stress concentrations in bone surrounding the prosthesis and more uniformly distributed stress to the surrounding bone tissue. For the effect of stiffness and Poisson's ratio of the porous coating layer, lower elastic modulus and Poisson's ratio will reduce the interface stress between cancellous bone and the porous coating layer. The average stress of the fractured femur with prosthesis is approximately twice the amount of the femur with prosthesis in the proximal and distal side of the prosthetic stem. Furthermore the average stress of the male femur with prosthesis is about 4% lower than the female femur with prosthesis. In regards to stress changes in the postoperative femur, the bone remodeling results indicate that bone resorption of the cortex around the proximal prosthesis would increase the stress in the proximal prosthetic stem and femoral surface slightly while decreasing the stress of the midregion. Bone hypertrophy around the distal prosthesis would decrease the stress up to 35% in the distal prosthetic stem and femoral surface.