Medical Engineering & Physics
Volume 29, Issue 1 , Pages 38-47, January 2007

Measurement of local strains induced into the femur by trochanteric Gamma nail implants with one or two distal screws

  • Vincenzo Filardi
    • ,
  • Roberto Montanini

      Affiliations

    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author at: Department of Industrial Chemistry and Materials Engineering, University of Messina, Salita Sperone 31, 98166 Sant’Agata (ME), Messina, Italy. Tel.: +39 090 3977248; fax: +39 090 3977464.

DCIIM, University of Messina, Salita Sperone 31, 98166 Sant’Agata (ME), Messina, Italy

Received 31 August 2005; received in revised form 18 January 2006; accepted 20 January 2006. published online 01 March 2006.

Abstract 

This study aims to evaluate experimentally the behaviour after fracture consolidation of two intramedullary Gamma nail implants, having one (G1) or two (G2) distal screws, respectively. Nails have been implanted into standardized synthetic femora, instrumented with strain gauges. Strains measurements, supported by finite element numerical modelling, showed that the G2 implant, although ensuring higher flexional and torsional stiffness, can lead to localized contacts that occur between the tip of the nail and the femoral endosteum. This might be one of the reasons of the complications associated with pain in the mid-portion of the thigh after implantation which has been reported in several clinical studies when Gamma nails with two distal screws are used.

Keywords: Femoral trochanteric fractures, Strain measurements, FE modelling, Intramedullary Gamma nail, Stress shielding

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PII: S1350-4533(06)00025-7

doi:10.1016/j.medengphy.2006.01.010

Medical Engineering & Physics
Volume 29, Issue 1 , Pages 38-47, January 2007

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