RADIAL HEAD ARTHROPLASTY WITH THE BIPOLAR IMPLANTS

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic biomechanics
• Biomaterials engineering
• Surgical implant design

Background:

• Radial head arthroplasty is crucial for treating complex elbow fractures and joint instability.
• Existing endoprostheses may present limitations in stress distribution and biomechanical compatibility.
• Evaluating novel implant designs is essential for improving patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze stress distribution in the bone-implant system during elbow movement with a novel bipolar radial head (RH) endoprosthesis.
• To compare the biomechanical performance of the developed RH implant against the KPS endoprosthesis.
• To assess the suitability of the bipolar RH implant for radial head arthroplasty.

Main Methods:

• Development of a metal-metal bearing bipolar RH endoprosthesis with porous coating for uncemented fixation.
• Creation of a detailed 3D geometrical model of the elbow joint using Solid Works.
• Finite-element analysis (FEA) using ANSYS to simulate stress distribution and strain fields.

Main Results:

• The developed bipolar RH endoprosthesis exhibits greater stiffness than the KPS endoprosthesis.
• The RH endoprosthesis demonstrates smaller deviations in displacement and strain fields compared to the healthy elbow.
• The KPS endoprosthesis shows greater deviations in stress and strain compared to the healthy contralateral elbow.

Conclusions:

• The bipolar RH endoprosthesis is biomechanically sound, with no critical impacts on surrounding joint structures.
• The developed RH implant meets the strength and stiffness requirements for operative use.
• The RH endoprosthesis offers a more favorable stress distribution profile than the KPS endoprosthesis for radial head arthroplasty.