Dastgerdi AK, Esrafilian A, Carty CP, Nasseri A, Barzan M, Korhonen RK, Astori I, Hall W, Saxby DJ. Sensitivity analysis of paediatric knee kinematics to the graft surgical parameters during anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: A sequentially linked neuromusculoskeletal-finite element analysis.
COMPUTER METHODS AND PROGRAMS IN BIOMEDICINE 2024;
248:108132. [PMID:
38503071 DOI:
10.1016/j.cmpb.2024.108132]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE
Incidence of paediatric anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture has increased substantially over recent decades. Following ACL rupture, ACL reconstruction (ACLR) surgery is typically performed to restore passive knee stability. This surgery involves replacing the failed ACL with a graft, however, surgeons must select from range of surgical parameters (e.g., type, size, insertion, and pre-tension) with no robust evidence guiding these decisions. This study presents a systemmatic computational approach to study effects of surgical parameter variation on kinematics of paediatric knees.
METHODS
This study used sequentially-linked neuromusculoskeletal (NMSK) finite element (FE) models of three paediatric knees to estimate the: (i) sensitivity of post-operative knee kinematics to four surgical parameters (type, size, insertion, and pre-tension) through multi-input multi-output sensitivity analysis; (ii) influence of motion and loading conditions throughout stance phase of walking gait on sensitivity indices; and (iii) influence of subject-specific anatomy (i.e., knee size) on sensitivivty indices. A previously validated FE model of the intact knee for each subject served as a reference against which ACLR knee kinematics were compared.
RESULTS
Sensitivity analyses revealed significant influences of surgical parameters on ACLR knee kinematics, albeit without discernible trend favouring any one parameter. Graft size and pre-tension were primary drivers of variation in knee translations and rotations, however, their effects fluctuated across stance indicating motion and loading conditions affect system sensitivity to surgical parameters. Importantly, the sensitivity of knee kinematics to surgical parameter varied across subjects, indicating geometry (i.e., knee size) influenced system sensitivity. Notably, alterations in graft parameters yielded substantial effects on kinematics (normalized root-mean-square-error > 10 %) compared to intact knee models, indicating surgical parameters vary post-operative knee kinematics.
CONCLUSIONS
Overall, this initial study highlights the importance of surgical parameter selection on post-operative kinematics in the paediatric ACLR knee, and provides evidence of the need for personalized surgical planning to ultimately enhance patient outcomes.
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