Finite element analysis of bone stress and strain around a distal osseointegrated implant for prosthetic limb attachment

Direct skeletal attachment techniques have recently been identified as an a lternative method for percutaneous attachment of prosthetic limbs. Osseoint egrated implants for prosthetic attachments are subjected to a complex load condition. This finite element study investigates the effect of varying ge ometries of the implant on the stress and strain distribution in the area o f the bone/implant interface. Simplified three-dimensional axisymmetric mod els of the femur and seven implants with different core diameters, external diameters, implant lengths and thread pitches were derived. The resulting stress and strain distributions were compared. The significance of each imp lant geometry was identified for improving implant design in the light of b enefit to the bone/implant osseointegration and the bone remodelling of the femur.