Abstract
Currently, the procedure for treating exposed comminuted mid-diaphyseal fractures in tibias consists of the use of an External Fixator (EF) linked by surgically placed screws, with the aim of repositioning and immobilizing the separate or quasi-separate parts of the bone and achieving the formation of the bony callus necessary for the regeneration of the tibia. Recent medical experiences show that the additional placement of an intramedullary rod improves the efficiency of the treatment, thus reducing the time of generation of the callus and the removal of the EF, minimizing the discomfort of the patient. In this work, the increase in stiffness provided by the intramedullary rod is quantified numerically to decrease the relative displacements between the two parts of the fractured bone. The three-dimensional modeling of an irregular body (bone) was analyzed in detail. The relative displacements between the bone and the rod, the proportions of stresses transmitted by the rod and the EF, and the connections between the bar elements and the solid elements were also investigated. A principal conclusion was an increase in the stiffness of the system by 90% on average and a reduction of relative displacements up to 20% of transverse, up to 45% longitudinal, and up to 75% torsional, for different variants of the position of the fixations, straight, and oblique fracture, and for various densities of bone, which allow validating the practical applications.
Published Version
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