Development of small bone implants using a mean shape bone in a porcine model for carpal bone replacement

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Orthopedic Research
• Preclinical Animal Models

Background:

• Developing innovative small bone replacements for the human wrist is hindered by the lack of suitable preclinical animal models.
• The Yucatan minipig (YMP) is explored as a potential preclinical model for wrist bone replacement surgery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility of using the Yucatan minipig (YMP) as a preclinical model for small bone replacement in the human wrist.
• To develop and assess a novel method for generating patient-specific radial carpal bone (RCB) implants based on a scaled mean bone model.

Main Methods:

• Quantified RCB size (volume, dimensions) in 35 YMPs and analyzed relationships with age and weight.
• Generated a mean RCB model using ShapeWorks Studio and scaled it to create a set of implants.
• Evaluated implant fit in a pilot in vivo study by measuring distances between bone and implant surfaces.

Main Results:

• RCB size parameters were quantified and correlated with animal age and weight.
• A set of scalable implants was generated, offering suitable options for the range of YMPs.
• Pilot in vivo study showed varying distances between predicted and surgeon-selected implants, indicating potential for customization.

Conclusions:

• The Yucatan minipig (YMP) demonstrates potential as a preclinical model for small bone replacement in wrist surgery.
• A novel approach using scaled mean bone models can generate a range of suitable implants for preclinical evaluation.
• Further research can refine implant design and surgical techniques using this porcine model.