Mitchell's osteotomy augmented with bio-absorbable pins for the treatment of hallux valgus: A comparative finite element study.

Background: There is an inadequacy of conventional means to assess the surgical outcomes of a bunion surgery. We used the Finite Element Analysis for evaluating the typical Mitchell's procedure outcomes with or without bio-absorbable pins.

Methods: We developed a 3D FE model based on the CT images of a female volunteer with hallux valgus.

Effects of foot posture on fifth metatarsal fracture healing: a finite element study.

The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of maintaining different foot postures during healing of proximal fifth metatarsal fractures for each of 3 common fracture types. A 3-dimensional (3D) finite element model of a human foot was developed and 3 loading situations were evaluated, including the following: (1) normal weightbearing, (2) standing with the affected foot in dorsiflexion at the ankle, and (3) standing with the affected foot in eversion. Three different stages of the fracture-healing process were studied, including: stage 1, wherein the material interposed between the fractured edges was the initial connective tissue; stage 2, wherein connective tissue had been replaced by soft callus; and stage 3, wherein soft callus was replaced by mature bone.