Measurements of deformations in osseous structures and implants by digital speckle interferometry (DSPI)

Abstract

Knowledge of how osseous structures and implants behave under deforming stress is an interesting point when evaluating the response of an implanted prosthesis. The failure of an implant is not always due to the great stress a structure may be subjected to at a particular moment, but rather to the effects of deterioration associated with lesser stress but which is continuously applied. Therefore it is helpful to know how bones and implants respond to this lesser stress. Digital speckle interferometry (DSPI) is suitable for this type of determination, as it is a highly sensitive, non-invasive optical technique. In this study we present the results we obtained when determining the elasticity of a sample of a macerated human radius, a titanium implant and a titanium screw used to treat the fractures of this bone. The correlation ratios we obtained in determining Young's modulus were in the order of r=0.994. Models were made of these structures using the finite elements method (FEM) with the aid of the ANSYS 10.0 program, applying Young's modulus values determined by DSPI. With a view to monitoring the accuracy of the FEM models of the bone and the implant elements we designed a flexion experiment to obtain the DSPI values in and out of plane. The high degree of concordance between the results of both methods makes it possible to continue studying osseous samples with a fixed implant, and also other implants made of different alloys.