A computational method for comparing the behavior and possible failure of prosthetic implants

Prosthetic joint implants currently in use exhibit high failure rates. Realistic computer modeling of prosthetic implants provides an opportunity for orthopedic biomechanics researchers and physicians to understand possible in vivo failure modes, without having to resort to lengthy and costly clinical trials. The research presented here is part of a larger effort to develop realistic models of implanted joint prostheses. The example used here is the thumb carpo-metacarpal (cmc) joint. The work, however, can be applied to any other human joints for which prosthetic implants have been designed. Preliminary results of prosthetic joint loading, without surrounding human tissue (i.e., simulating conditions under which the prosthetic joint has not yet been implanted into the human joint), are presented, based on a three-dimensional, nonlinear finite element analysis of three different joint implant designs.