The stability of a semi-circular external fixator in treatment of type C distal radius fractures:a finite element analysis-based biomechanical study
Objective:To explore the stability of a semi-circular external fixator in treating type C distal radius fractures.Methods:A healthy adult male volunteer was selected for wrist joint scanning by using CT and MRI,respectively.Based on the CT and MRI scanning data,a three-dimensional(3D)finite element model of the normal wrist joint was established,and the validity of the model was verified.Based on the successfully established 3D finite element model,the finite element models of type C1,C2,and C3 distal radius fractures were established,and a semi-circular external fixator was fabricated and assembled.The axial,pronation and palmarflexion loads were applied to the finite element models of type C1,C2 and C3 distal radius fractures assembled with semi-circular external fixators,respectively.The max-imum relative axial displacement of the radiocarpal articular surface,and the maximum stress and maximum displacement of the fractured bone in the three finite element models under the different loads were recorded.Results:①The established 3D finite element model of nor-mal wrist joint involved 1 094 717 elements and 387 763 nodes.The maximum stress was 10.7 MPa on the radiocarpal articular surface when a 100 N axial load was applied to the model after applying a full constraint to the proximal end of the ulna.The main stress acted on the distal radius articular surface was mainly distributed on the radionavicular and radiolunate articular surfaces,with the radionavicular ar-ticular surface experiencing greater stress.This result was consistent with the results previously reported in the cadaver experiments,indica-ting the successful establishment of a 3D finite element model of normal wrist joint.②The maximum relative axial displacements of the ra-diocarpal articular surface in the finite element models of type C1,C2,and C3 distal radius fractures were 0.27,0.14,and 0.64 mm under the axial load;0.21,0.29,and 0.36 mm under the pronation load;and 0.11,0.08,and 0.24 mm under the palmarflexion load,respective-ly.③The maximum stress of the fractured bone in the finite element models of type C1,C2,and C3 distal radius fractures were 5.58,20.93,and 40.91 MPa under the axial load;1.45,11.31,and 11.89 MPa under the pronation load;and 0.78,19.94,and 4.66 MPa under the palmarflexion load,respectively.④The maximum displacement of the fractured bone in the finite element models of type C1,C2,and C3 distal radius fractures were 0.63,1.4,and 1.5 mm under the axial load;0.10,0.16,and 0.16 mm under the pronation load;and 1.24,1.15,and 1.05 mm under the palmarflexion load,respectively.Conclusion:The semi-circular external fixator behaves good stability in the treatment of type C distal radius fractures.
radius fracturesfracture fixationexternal fixatorsfinite element analysisbiomechanical phenomena