A procedure to estimate the origins and the insertions of the knee ligaments from computed tomography images.

The estimation of the origin and insertion of the four knee ligaments is crucial for individualised dynamic modelling of the knee. Commonly this information is obtained ex vivo or from high resolution MRI, which is not always available. Aim of this work is to devise a method to estimate the origins and insertions from computed tomography (CT) images.

HIDE: a new hybrid environment for the design of custom-made hip prosthesis.

This technical note describes a new software environment (HIPCOM design environment, HIDE) for the design of custom-made total hip replacements. These devices are frequently designed using general-purpose mechanical computer-aided design (CAD) programs using a set of bone contours extracted from the computer tomography (CT) images as anatomical reference. On the contrary, the HIDE system was developed to let the operator directly design the stem shape onto the CT images in a single-step operation.

An FEA-based protocol for the pre-clinical validation of custom-made hip implants.

Custom-made prostheses are successfully used to treat particular pathologies such as congenital hip dysplasia. The new EC rules on medical devices require a complete technical dossier for each produced custom-made device counter signed by the surgeon who 'prescribes' the custom-made device. Thus, a specific pre-clinical validation protocol must be developed, considering the economical and temporal constraints imposed by the device type.

Experimental evaluation of a resorbable intramedullary plug for cemented total hip replacement.

In order to evaluate degradation kinetics and biocompatibility of a resorbable poly(D,L-lactic acid) (PDLLA) plug for total cemented hip prostheses, an experimental in vitro and in vivo study was carried out. Degradation rate studies were performed in Ringer solution and after in vivo plug implantation in the femoral medullar cavity of rabbits. In vitro biocompatibility was evaluated in murine fibroblast cell cultures.

Analysis, design and development of a carbon fibre reinforced plastic knee-ankle-foot orthosis prototype for myopathic patients.

A traditional knee-ankle-foot orthosis (KAFO) for myopathic patients has been studied for the assessment of loads and fatigue resistance. Starting from this basis a thermoplastic matrix carbon fibre reinforced plastic composite (CFRP) KAFO has been developed in order to reduce the weight. A finite-element simulation programme for deformation analysis was used to compare the behaviour of conventional and CFRP orthosis.