BIOMECHANICS FOR PREOPERATIVE PLANNING AND SURGICAL SIMULATIONS IN ORTHOPEDICS

Surgical simulations are particularly appropriate for the large volume and expense of joint replacement procedures in orthopaedics. A first generation surgical simulator has been developed to model the implanta tion procedure for cementless acetabular and femoral components in tot al hip replacement surgery. The simulator is based upon finite element analysis and predicts the early postoperative mechanical environment that results from a proposed surgery. Since the short- and long-term c linical success of cementless hip replacement components is very depen dent upon the initial mechanics of the bone-implant system, such simul ations can help orthopaedic surgeons to develop better preoperative pl ans.