Finite element analysis of idealised unit cell cancellous structure based on morphological indices of cancellous bone

Personalized Design of Functional Gradient Bone Tissue Engineering Scaffold

The porous structure of the natural bone not only has the characteristics of lightweight and high strength, but also is conducive to the growth of cells and tissues due to interconnected pores. In this paper, a novel gradient-controlled parametric modeling technology is presented to design bone tissue engineering (BTE) scaffold. First of all, the method functionalizes the pore distribution in the bone tissue, and reconstructs the pore distribution of the bone tissue in combination with the pathological analysis of the bone defect area of the individual patient. Then, based on the reconstructed pore distribution, the Voronoi segmentation algorithm and the contour interface optimization method are used to reconstruct the whole model of the bone tissue. Finally, the mechanical properties of the scaffold are studied by the finite element analysis (FEA) of different density gradient scaffolds. The results show that the method is highly feasible. BTE scaffold can be designed by irregular design methods and adjustment of pore distribution parameters, which is similar with natural bone in structural characteristics and biomechanical properties.

Design and properties of 3D scaffolds for bone tissue engineering

In this study, the Voronoi tessellation method has been used to design novel bone like three dimension (3D) porous scaffolds. The Voronoi method has been processed with computer design software to obtain 3D virtual isotropic porous interconnected models, exactly matching the main histomorphometric indices of trabecular bone (trabecular thickness, trabecular separation, trabecular number, bone volume to total volume ratio, bone surface to bone volume ratio, etc.). These bone like models have been further computed for mechanical (elastic modulus) and fluid mass transport (permeability) properties. The results show that the final properties of the scaffolds can be controlled during their microstructure and histomorphometric initial design stage. It is also shown that final properties can be tuned during the design stage to exactly match those of trabecular natural bone. Moreover, identical total porosity models can be designed with quite different specific bone surface area and thus, this specific microstructural feature can be used to favour cell adhesion, migration and, ultimately, new bone apposition (i.e. osteoconduction). Once the virtual models are fully characterized and optimized, these can be easily 3D printed by additive manufacturing and/or stereolitography technologies.

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

The significance of this article goes far beyond the specific objectives on which it is focussed. In fact, it shows, in a guided way, the entire novel process that can be followed to design graded porous implants, whatever its external shape and geometry, but internally tuned to the exact histomorphometric indices needed to match natural human tissues microstructures and, consequently, their mechanical and fluid properties, among others. The significance is even more relevant nowadays thanks to the available new computing and design software that is easily linked to the 3D printing new technologies. It is this transversality, at the frontier of different disciplines, the main characteristic that gives this article a high scientific impact and interest to a broaden audience.

Permeability study of cancellous bone and its idealised structures

Artificial bone is a suitable alternative to autografts and allografts, however their use is still limited. Though there were numerous reports on their structural properties, permeability studies of artificial bones were comparably scarce. This study focused on the development of idealised, structured models of artificial cancellous bone and compared their permeability values with bone surface area and porosity. Cancellous bones from fresh bovine femur were extracted and cleaned following an established protocol. The samples were scanned using micro-computed tomography (μCT) and three-dimensional models of the cancellous bones were reconstructed for morphology study. Seven idealised and structured cancellous bone models were then developed and fabricated via rapid prototyping technique. A test-rig was developed and permeability tests were performed on the artificial and real cancellous bones. The results showed a linear correlation between the permeability and the porosity as well as the bone surface area. The plate-like idealised structure showed a similar value of permeability to the real cancellous bones.

Importance of Material Properties and Porosity of Bone on Mechanical Response of Articular Cartilage in Human Knee Joint—A Two-Dimensional Finite Element Study

Mechanical behavior of bone is determined by the structure and intrinsic, local material properties of the tissue. However, previously presented knee joint models for evaluation of stresses and strains in joints generally consider bones as rigid bodies or linearly elastic solid materials. The aim of this study was to estimate how different structural and mechanical properties of bone affect the mechanical response of articular cartilage within a knee joint. Based on a cadaver knee joint, a two-dimensional (2D) finite element (FE) model of a knee joint including bone, cartilage, and meniscus geometries was constructed. Six different computational models with varying properties for cortical, trabecular, and subchondral bone were created, while the biphasic fibril-reinforced properties of cartilage and menisci were kept unaltered. The simplest model included rigid bones, while the most complex model included specific mechanical properties for different bone structures and anatomically accurate trabecular structure. Models with different porosities of trabecular bone were also constructed. All models were exposed to axial loading of 1.9 times body weight within 0.2 s (mimicking typical maximum knee joint forces during gait) while free varus–valgus rotation was allowed and all other rotations and translations were fixed. As compared to results obtained with the rigid bone model, stresses, strains, and pore pressures observed in cartilage decreased depending on the implemented properties of trabecular bone. Greatest changes in these parameters (up to −51% in maximum principal stresses) were observed when the lowest modulus for trabecular bone (measured at the structural level) was used. By increasing the trabecular bone porosity, stresses and strains were reduced substantially in the lateral tibial cartilage, while they remained relatively constant in the medial tibial plateau. The present results highlight the importance of long bones, in particular, their mechanical properties and porosity, in altering and redistributing forces transmitted through the knee joint.

Finite element micro-modelling of a human ankle bone reveals the importance of the trabecular network to mechanical performance: new methods for the generation and comparison of 3D models

Most modelling of whole bones does not incorporate trabecular geometry and treats bone as a solid non-porous structure. Some studies have modelled trabecular networks in isolation. One study has modelled the performance of whole human bones incorporating trabeculae, although this required considerable computer resources and purpose-written code. The difference between mechanical behaviour in models that incorporate trabecular geometry and non-porous models has not been explored. The ability to easily model trabecular networks may shed light on the mechanical consequences of bone loss in osteoporosis and remodelling after implant insertion. Here we present a Finite Element Analysis (FEA) of a human ankle bone that includes trabecular network geometry. We compare results from this model with results from non-porous models and introduce protocols achievable on desktop computers using widely available softwares. Our findings show that models including trabecular geometry are considerably stiffer than non-porous whole bone models wherein the non-cortical component has the same mass as the trabecular network, suggesting inclusion of trabecular geometry is desirable. We further present new methods for the construction and analysis of 3D models permitting: (1) construction of multi-property, non-porous models wherein cortical layer thickness can be manipulated; (2) maintenance of the same triangle network for the outer cortical bone surface in both 3D reconstruction and non-porous models allowing exact replication of load and restraint cases; and (3) creation of an internal landmark point grid allowing direct comparison between 3D FE Models (FEMs).

Mechanical and microarchitectural analyses of cancellous bone through experiment and computer simulation

The relationship between microarchitecture to the failure mechanism and mechanical properties can be assessed through experimental and computational methods. In this study, both methods were utilised using bovine cadavers. Twenty four samples of cancellous bone were extracted from fresh bovine and the samples were cleaned from excessive marrow. Uniaxial compression testing was performed with displacement control. After mechanical testing, each specimen was ashed in a furnace. Four of the samples were exemplarily scanned using micro-computed tomography (μCT) and three dimensional models of the cancellous bones were reconstructed for finite element simulation. The mechanical properties and the failure modes obtained from numerical simulations were then compared to the experiments. Correlations between microarchitectural parameters to the mechanical properties and failure modes were then made. The Young's modulus correlates well with the bone volume fraction with R² = 0.615 and P value 0.013. Three different types of failure modes of cancellous bone were observed: oblique fracture (21.7%), perpendicular global fracture (47.8%), and scattered localised fracture (30.4%). However, no correlations were found between the failure modes to the morphological parameters. The percentage of error between computer predictions and the actual experimental test was from 6 to 12%. These mechanical properties and information on failure modes can be used for the development of synthetic cancellous bone.

Morphology based cohesive zone modeling of the cement-bone interface from postmortem retrievals

In cemented total hip arthroplasty, the cement-bone interface can be considerably degenerated after less than one year in vivo service; this makes the interface much weaker relative to the direct post-operative situation. It is, however, still unknown how these degenerated interfaces behave under mixed-mode loading and how this is related to the interface morphology. In this study, we used a finite element (FE) approach to analyze the mixed-mode response of the cement-bone interface taken from postmortem retrievals. We investigated whether it was feasible to generate a fully elastic and a failure cohesive model based on only morphological input parameters. Computed tomography-based FE-models of postmortem cement-bone interfaces were generated and the interface morphology was determined. The models were loaded until failure in multiple directions by allowing cracking of the bone and cement components and including periodic boundary conditions. The resulting stiffness was related to the interface morphology. A closed form mixed-mode cohesive model that included failure was determined and related to the interface morphology. The responses of the FE-simulations compare satisfactorily with experimental observations, albeit the magnitude of the strength and stiffness are somewhat overestimated. Surprisingly, the FE-simulations predict no failure under shear loading and a considerable normal compression is generated which prevents dilation of the interface. The obtained mixed-mode stiffness response could subsequently be related to the interface morphology and subsequently be formulated into an elastic cohesive zone model. Finally, the acquired data could be used as an input for a cohesive model that also includes interface failure.

Mixed-mode loading of the cement-bone interface: a finite element study

While including the cement-bone interface of complete cemented hip reconstructions is crucial to correctly capture their response, its modelling is often overly simplified. In this study, the mechanical mixed-mode response of the cement-bone interface is investigated, taking into account the effects of the well-defined microstructure that characterises the interface. Computed tomography-based plain strain finite element analyses models of the cement-bone interface are built and loaded in multiple directions. Periodic boundaries are considered and the failure of the cement and bone fractions by cracking of the bulk components are included. The results compare favourably with experimental observations. Surprisingly, the analyses reveal that under shear loading no failure occurs and considerable normal compression is generated to prevent interface dilation. Reaction forces, crack patterns and stress fields provide more insight into the mixed-mode failure process. Moreover, the cement-bone interface analyses provide details which can serve as a basis for the development of a cohesive law.