BIOMECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH CONTACT PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION IN THE KNEE JOINT AFTER TOTAL KNEE ARTHROPLASTY

摘要

The most critical aspect to the life of Total Knee Arthroplasty is the surgical fit. This project's goal is to use a 3-D Finite Element Model of the TKA modified knee and create dynamic pressure profiles across the condylar surfaces. Then validate the results through experimental data so that it can be used to fit TKAs. The ANSYS~(TM) model currently contains 10,000 elements and represents the whole tibial piece including the femoral component surface. Loading of the model is restricted to the condylar surface and the bottom of the piece is constrained to zero displacement. The experimental aspect of the project consists of a cadaver leg fitted with the prosthesis and is able to record real time pressure across the condyles as a function of time and joint angle. This study validates previous work and also generates new pressure data indicative of normal flexion-extension motion in the TKA modified joint. This enables the exact alignment of the joint, thus creating a perfect fit and eliminating premature failure of TKAs.