Rapid prototyping - a promising technique for orthopaedic implant fabrication: application and validation of TKA prototypes for in-vitro testing

摘要

The appropriateness of plastic TKA prototypes for the use in in-vitro experiments has been shown. This implicates a distinct facilitation for further biomechanical studies on design optimisation and individualisation of TKA and other orthopaedic implants. Furthermore, the method of rapid prototyping seems to be promising for future fabrication of implants for clinical use. However, further work is necessary, e.g. with regard to the surface postprocessing or the strength and endurance of implants produced by rapid prototyping, in order to guarantee the high quality necessary for medical products.