Article

Periprosthetic femoral fracture can occur following total hip
arthroplasty. Fixation of these fractures are challenging due to the combination
of fractured bone with an existing prosthesis. There are several clinical studies
reporting the failure of fixation methods used for these fractures, highlighting
the importance of further biomechanical studies in this area. METHODS: the
current literature on biomechanical models of periprosthetic femoral fracture
fixation is reviewed. The methodologies involved in the experimental and
computational studies of this fixation are described and compared. FINDINGS:
areas which require further investigation are highlighted and the potential use
of finite element analysis as a computational tool to test the current fixation
methods is addressed. INTERPRETATION: biomechanical models have huge potential to
assess the effectiveness of different fixation methods. Experimental in vitro
models have been used to mimic periprosthetic femoral fracture fixation however,
the numbers of measurements that are possible in these studies are relatively
limited due to the cost and data acquisition constraints. Computer modelling and
in particular finite element analysis is a complimentary method that could be
used to examine existing protocols for the treatment of periprosthetic femoral
fracture and, potentially, find optimum fixation methods for specific fracture types.
CI - 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS