Biomechanical optimization of circular external fixators used in orthopaedics and the application on rabbits

The aim of this study is to perform biomechanical optimization of the newly designed CEF used in the field of orthopaedics. With this optimized design, the change of amount of pressure on fracture line is examined the effects on the fracture healing. External fixators provide the correction of skeletal deformities with a device applied from outside the body. Therefore they are regarded as a method used in the treatment of bone and joint damages. The study was performed in two phases: numerical and clinical. The changes of the determined parameters on the CEF system were considered and their influences on the system and fracture line were investigated using ANSYS software. In clinical study, designed and manufactured CEF system was mounted on the tibia of 36 New Zealand white rabbits and radiological and histological analysis performed at certain periods. This study has been conducted on three different designs including the control group in which the conventional system is used and two experimental groups obtained from the finite element solutions in order to determine the accuracy of the numerical analysis. Consequently, fracture healing of both early and late period of developed the new system was found to be more advantageous than the conventional system