Kakarla, D., A. P. Sanders, S. Siskey, K. Ong, N. Ames, J. O. Ochoa, and R. M. Brannon. (2012). “Modeling, Testing, and Analysis of Impulse Response of Femoral Head Reduction in Ceramic Hip Prostheses.” Transactions of the Orthopaedic Research Society 2012 Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA, Feb. 4-7, Poster 2076.

Abstract

Hip simulator wear tests including micro-separation conditions have revealed that abnormal loading events can outweigh normal loading conditions in causing wear of hard-on-hard bearings. Yet, there is a paucity of data to describe the mechanics of abnormal events such as edge loading by femoral neck impingement or femoral head subluxation. Though the magnitude of head subluxation has been measured in-vivo for a variety of human activities, there are apparently no corresponding reports of the concurrent head-liner contact forces; accurate measurements of the same may be rendered difficult by the transient, impulsive nature of edge loading. This report provides initial laboratory results of an in-vitro and in-silico study of impulsive femoral head reduction whose ultimate aim is to quantify dynamic edge-loading contact forces and stresses. The study implements an engineering model of proximal-lateral head subluxation and edge loading as could occur in a lax hip during the swing phase of gait. Rapid reduction is caused by applying a sudden cranio-caudal motion to the acetabular liner. In the laboratory, the femur’s response to this input is measured with strain gages and a laser vibrometer.