Development of Synthetic 3D Printed Knee Joint to Assess Mechanical and Functional Properties of Degenerative Cartilage

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent condition characterized by the gradual breakdown of cartilage in the knee joint. In this study, we aimed to develop synthetic 3D-printed knee joint models to evaluate the mechanical and functional properties of degenerative cartilage. Two subjects, one with degenerative cartilage and one healthy control, were included in the study. The workflow involved acquiring CT and MRI scans of the knee joint, followed by segmentation of the bones and cartilage. The segmented data were processed to create realistic 3D models of the knee joint, which were then 3D printed using composite polymers designed to mimic cartilage properties. Compression tests were conducted on the printed models to assess their mechanical properties, and the results were compared with finite element analysis (FEA) simulations. The feasibility of using synthetic knee models derived from real patient data to represent the mechanical properties of knee cartilage was evaluated. The results of the FEA model were validated by comparing healthy and degenerate cartilage through empirical experiments using the 3D printed models. The study provides insights into the mechanical and functional properties of degenerative cartilage and demonstrates the potential of using synthetic 3D printed knee joint models for assessment and research purposes.