A comprehensive approach to simulating bone fractures through bone model fragmentation guided by fracture patterns.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Orthopedics
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Bone fractures are prevalent, necessitating precise simulation for effective diagnosis and treatment planning.
• Current simulation methods may lack the accuracy required for complex fracture scenarios.
• Advanced computational models are crucial for improving orthopedic surgical outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a comprehensive method for simulating bone fractures using 2D patterns on 3D bone models.
• To enhance the realism and accuracy of simulated bone fractures for clinical applications.
• To support personalized medicine through patient-specific fracture modeling.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing 2D fracture patterns and real fractured bone data applied to 3D bone models.
• Projecting adjusted fracture patterns onto 3D models and employing quality-guided triangulation for cortical layer simulation.
• Incorporating perturbation techniques for realistic fracture surface irregularities and validating with CT scan data.

Main Results:

• Simulated fracture fragments closely matched real fragments from CT scans, indicating high accuracy.
• Analysis of scaled values (MMAR and MMAS) showed minimal deviation between real and simulated fracture zones ($-$0.36 to 1.44).
• The developed method successfully generated realistic simulated fractures on non-fractured bone models.

Conclusions:

• The proposed simulation method provides accurate and realistic bone fracture models.
• These models offer significant potential for improving surgical planning, medical training, and personalized treatment strategies.
• This advancement promises to enhance fracture care and patient outcomes in orthopedics.