Bone properties affect loosening of half-pin external fixators at the pin-bone interface

Local bone yielding at the pin-bone interface of external fixation half-pins has been known to initiate fixator loosening. Deterioration of bone properties due to ageing and disease can lead to an increase in the risk of pin loosening. This study determines the extent, locations and mechanics of bone yielding for unilateral external fixation systems at the tibial midshaft with changes in age-related bone structure and properties. The study also evaluates the effect of the number of pins used in the fixation system and use of titanium pins (in place of steel) on bone yielding.

We employ nonlinear finite element (FE) simulations. Strain-based plasticity is used to simulate bone yielding within FE analyses. Our analyses also incorporate contact behaviour at pin-bone interfaces, orthotropic elasticity and periosteal-endosteal variation of bone properties.

The results show that peri-implant yielded bone volume increases by three times from young to old-aged cases. The use of three, rather than two half-pins (on either side of the fracture), reduces the volume of yielded bone by 80% in all age groups. The use of titanium half-pins resulted in approximately 60-65% greater volumes of yielded bone.

We successfully simulate half-pin loosening at the bone-implant interface which has been found to occur clinically. Yielding across the full cortical thickness may explain the poor performance of these devices for old-aged cases. The models are able to identify patients particularly at risk of half-pin loosening, who may benefit from alternative fixator configurations or techniques such as those using pre-tensioned fine wires.