Designing and in vitro testing of a novel patient-specific total knee prosthesis using the probabilistic approach.

In order to prevent failure as well as ensure comfort, patient-specific modelling for prostheses has been gaining interest. However, deterministic analyses have been widely used in the design process without considering any variation/uncertainties related to the design parameters of such prostheses. Therefore, this study aims to compare the performance of patient-specific anatomic Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA) with off-the-shelf TKA. In the patient-specific model, the femoral condyle curves were considered in the femoral component's inner and outer surface design. The tibial component was designed to completely cover the tibia cutting surface. In vitro experiments were conducted to compare these two models in terms of loosening of the components. A probabilistic approach based on the finite element method was also used to compute the probability of failure of both models. According to the deterministic analysis results, 103.10 and 21.67 MPa von Mises stress values were obtained for the femoral component and cement in the anatomical model, while these values were 175.86 and 25.76 MPa, respectively, for the conventional model. In order to predict loosening damage due to local osteolysis or stress shield, it was determined that the deformation values in the examined cement structures were 15% lower in the anatomical model. According to probabilistic analysis results, it was observed that the probability of encountering an extreme value for the anatomical model is far less than that of the conventional model. This indicates that the anatomical model is safer than the conventional model, considering the failure scenarios in this study.

A New Design for Maximum Conformity of Total Knee Prosthesis to Femur and Tibia.

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a common procedure for treating patients with excessively arthritic knees. Nonetheless, early failure of TKA may occur in the first 5 yr, and up to 20% of TKA procedures can fail after 20 yr. In this study, a new anatomic prosthesis was designed to provide maximum conformity to knee bones and produce less stress and strain, in an effort to avoid possible failure of the prosthesis. Anatomical and conventional knee models were compared on the basis of both geometric conformity and stress and strain results obtained from finite element analysis. To compare geometric conformity, anatomic prosthesis components were manufactured by laser melting, and conventional prosthesis components were fixed to sawbone knee models. The anatomical model yielded up to 50% less contact pressure at the insert, which may indicate potential for reduced wear between insert and femur components. This model also resulted in less principal strain value at the tibial component, considered to be an important parameter to indicate loosening. The anatomical model with a new femur component in the anterior cortex design also yielded less stress at the femoral cortex, when compared to the conventional model. The findings in this study suggest that the anatomic prosthesis model may be a better design alternative to conventional knee prostheses in terms of wear, aseptic loosening, and normal joint biomechanics.

Diffractaic acid, a novel proapoptotic agent, induces with olive oil both apoptosis and antioxidative systems in Ti-implanted rabbits.

Usnea longissima Ach., a lichen species, is a traditional herbal medicine with anti-detrimental effects. We evaluated the in vivo effects of a major constituent of U. longissima, diffractaic acid, and the main fatty component of the Mediterranean diet, olive oil, against apoptosis, including various caspase activations and oxidative injury in surrounding tissues after titanium implantation in rabbit femurs. Furthermore, we evaluated the underlying molecular mechanisms. In this study, this lichen metabolite and olive oil activated caspase-dependent cell death with apoptotic morphology, which is distinctly different from necrosis. Both orally and locally administered olive oil and diffractaic acid exerted pro-apoptotic induction in tissues surrounding the implants in titanium-implanted rabbits through the activation of initiator caspases (Cas-2, -8 and -9) and executioner caspase (Cas-3). In addition, they displayed strong myeloperoxidase and inducible nitric oxide synthase activities, providing an alleviating effect. Furthermore, administrations of diffractaic acid and olive oil attenuated the Ti-alloy implantation, and decreased superoxide dismutase activity and total glutathione level in peri-implant tissues. These results demonstrate that diffractaic acid and olive oil are involved in the induction of apoptotic cell death both through caspase-dependent cell death and as an antioxidant. Thus, the data suggest that both diffractaic acid and olive oil could be developed as effective proapoptotic agents in various disorders treatments.

Hydroxyapatite dip coated and uncoated titanium poly-axial pedicle screws: an in vivo bovine model.

STUDY DESIGN: A 1-year-old calf was implanted with titanium pedicle screws either uncoated (n = 7) or coated with hydroxyapatite (n = 7) by the dipping method on the pedicles of vertebrae (t10-l3). OBJECTIVE: To evaluate biomechanical and histomorphologic responses to titanium pedicle screws uncoated and coated with hydroxyapatite. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Failure of fixation caused by loosening of pedicle screws is a problem in spinal surgery. Enhancement of the fixation ability of screws by coating with biocompatible materials may improve prognosis of surgery. METHODS: The calf was euthanized 4 months after implantation for determination of insertion and extraction torques for screws, and histologic and scanning electron microscopic examinations of areas screw embedded. RESULTS: Insertion torques did not differ by the kind of screws (99 +/- 5.7 Ncm). However, extraction torques for screws coated with hydroxyapatite were higher than for screws uncoated (249 vs. 133 Ncm, P < 0.01). As compared with uncoated screws, implanted areas for hydroxyapatite-coated screws were denser, had more cracks, and provided better bonding. Fibrous tissue and new bone formation were observed around the areas of uncoated and hydroxyapatite-coated screws embedded, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Hydroxyapatite coating of titanium pedicle screws by the dipping method improved fixation and vertebral bone-implant interface, suggesting a decreased risk of a screw-loosening problem.