Optimization of rib surgery parameters for the correction of scoliotic deformities using approximation models

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic biomechanics
• Computational modeling
• Surgical optimization

Background:

• Finite element modeling (FEM) has been used to study rib surgeries for scoliosis correction.
• Previous work established an FEM of rib surgeries, but optimizing parameters was computationally expensive.

Purpose of the Study:

• Investigate the influence of rib surgery parameters on scoliosis correction.
• Identify optimal surgical configurations to maximize correction.
• Develop a computationally efficient method for parameter optimization.

Main Methods:

• Simulated rib shortening/lengthening using FEM on patient-specific torso models.
• Employed dual kriging interpolation to create an approximation model from simulation data.
• Utilized the approximation model to find optimal surgical parameters minimizing objective functions.

Main Results:

• The optimization method identified global optimal corrections, avoiding local minima.
• Rib surgeries resulted in 50% of cases showing 95-120% of initial deformation.
• Optimal parameters varied by patient and correction objective, with significant loads generated in apical regions.

Conclusions:

• Approximation models effectively reduce computational cost for studying rib surgery parameters.
• This approach enables the identification of optimal surgical parameters for scoliosis correction.