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Abstract
My research provides a comprehensive biomechanical analysis of acetabular cage fixation systems used in hip joint reconstructions. I begin with an extensive literature review on anatomical, clinical, and biomechanical modeling, which forms the basis for the computational models and simulations I developed.
Geometric models of the hemipelvis and fixation systems were created using pre- and post-operative CT scans of patients with acetabular cage fixations. Loads, boundary conditions, contact interactions, and material properties were derived from biomechanical literature. The bone material was modeled using a combined approach: homogeneous material properties were assigned near the acetabular cage, while cortical bone was modeled with shell elements and cancellous bone with solid elements further away. Components like the polyethylene liner and steel parts, including the acetabular cage, screws, and femoral head, were modeled with homogeneous, linear elastic, isotropic material properties.