Analysis of the fixation quality of cementless hip prostheses using a vibrational technique

Vibration analysis can be used as a more sensitive alternative to conventional techniques for the detection of loosening of total hip replacement (THR) components. The vibration modes of the human femur and of selected THR prosthetic stems were studied by experimental modal analysis using a CADA-X system and by finite element simulation using MARC/Mentat software. Two hypotheses were formulated: (1) the differences between the vibrational behaviour of an intact femur and of the system formed by a femur and an implanted prosthesis will increase with increasing complexity of the mode shapes of the system; (2) when a prosthesis is implanted in a femur, the vibration modes of the prosthesis will be more affected by this interaction than the modes of the femur. After confirming these hypotheses, a method for peroperative assessment of the fixation quality of a THR stem was derived, based on the frequency shifts of the vibration modes of the system.

[1]  L Sennerby,et al.  The application of resonance frequency measurements to study the stability of titanium implants during healing in the rabbit tibia. , 1997, Clinical oral implants research.

[2]  Georges Van der Perre,et al.  Vibration analysis of orthopaedic implant stability: exploratory finite element modelling , 2002 .

[3]  G F McCoy,et al.  The Differentiation of Loose and Secure Femoral Implants in Total Hip Replacement Using a Vibrational Technique: An Anatomical and Pilot Clinical Study , 1989, Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. Part H, Journal of engineering in medicine.

[4]  Gang Qi,et al.  How much can a vibrational diagnostic tool reveal in total hip arthroplasty loosening? , 2003, Clinical biomechanics.

[5]  G Lowet,et al.  In vivo assessment of bone mechanical properties by vibration and ultrasonic wave propagation analysis. , 1996, Bone.

[6]  A. Georgiou,et al.  Accurate diagnosis of hip prosthesis loosening using a vibrational technique. , 2001, Clinical biomechanics.

[7]  G Van der Perre,et al.  The relation between resonant frequencies and torsional stiffness of long bones in vitro. Validation of a simple beam model. , 1993, Journal of biomechanics.

[8]  N B Jones,et al.  Loosening of total hip arthroplasty. Diagnosis by vibration analysis. , 1995, The Journal of bone and joint surgery. British volume.

[9]  T D Brown,et al.  Structural properties of a new design of composite replicate femurs and tibias. , 2001, Journal of biomechanics.

[10]  G Van der Perre,et al.  Ultrasound velocity measurement in long bones: measurement method and simulation of ultrasound wave propagation. , 1996, Journal of biomechanics.

[11]  Robert Puers,et al.  A telemetry system for the detection of hip prosthesis loosening by vibration analysis , 2000 .

[12]  P L Li,et al.  Vibration analysis in the detection of total hip prosthetic loosening. , 1996, Medical engineering & physics.