Finite element analysis of tibial slope in mobile-bearing unicompartmental knee arthroplasty / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:At present, there stil remain controversies concerning the choice of tibial slope in unicompartmental knee arthroplasty, and the related biomechanical studies are rare. OBJECTIVE:To find the rational tibial slope in mobile-bearing unicompartmental knee arthroplasty through the results of finite element analysis. METHODS:A finite element model of normal knee was established and validated using the techniques of three-dimensional reconstruction and finite element pre-processing. Then the finite element models of unicompartmental knee arthroplasty with different tibial slopes were established based on the normal knee model. The finite element analyses were conducted after the boundary conditions and loads were unified. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The finite element models of unicompartmental knee arthroplasty with different tibial slopes were established successfuly. The results of the finite element analyses indicated that the posteromedial tibial cortical and cancelous bone stress increased gradualy as the posterior slope increasing, as wel as the load distribution and the cartilage contact pressures of lateral compartment. The anteromedial tibial cortical stress increased significantly with the anterior slope. A posterior tibial slope of 0°-7° can be recommended when implanting a mobile-bearing unicompartmental knee arthroplasty.