Finite Element Analysis for the Treatment of Proximal Femoral Fracture

Abstract

Dynamic hip screw and gamma nail have been widely used to treat the patients with proximal femoral fractures, but clinical failures of those implants are still to be found. This study developed three-dimensional finite element models to investigate the biomechanical performances of the implants. Two kinds of commercially available implants dynamic hip screw and gamma nail) and one newly designed implant (double screw nail) under three kinds of the proximal femoral fractures (neck fracture, subtrochanteric fracture, and subtrochanteric fracture with gap) were evaluated. Double screw nail showed better biomechanical performances than dynamic hip screw and gamma nail. Two commercially available implants might provide good biomechanical performances if their designs were modified by using the suggestions of the reports. The finite element models developed in this study could provide the selection information of those implants to surgeons and offer the improved implant designs to engineers.