Abstract
Different types of plates are available to allow insertion of screws for internal fixation of long bone fractures. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of the insertion of screws at different angles on a long bone to the pull-out strength. Using 3D printed bone models, we tested the pull-out strength of screws in long bones at insertion angles between 0 and 40° with both finite element analysis and on printed models experimentally and compared the results. Test samples and cortical screws used were modeled with SolidWorks software and analyzed with Ansys software. As the screw insertion angle increases, the pull-out forces on the test specimens increase from 61.14 ± 3.5 N at 0° to 273 ± 6.8 N at 40° with an exception of a small drop between 15 and 20° from 235.4 ± 6.2 to 233 ± 6.9 N. Both methods showed an increase in the pull-out strength of screws as the insertion angle increases. This might be applicable in the clinical practice of bone fixation. Further studies on plate and screw fixation are needed to complement the findings.
Funding source: Scientific Research Projects Commission of Sakarya University
Award Identifier / Grant number: 2022-7-25-86
About the authors
Osman İyibilgin received his Bachelor Graduation from Hacettepe University in 1995. He received a master’s degree from Bülent Ecevit University in 1998. He gets a doctorate degree from Sakarya University in 2004. He carried out postdoctoral research activities in the USA (Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla) from 2012 to 2014. Since 2008, he has been working as a faculty member and Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Sakarya University. His main research interests are finite element methods, biomechanics, biomaterials, and additive manufacturing.
Engin Gepek, born in 1988, studied Physics at Izmir Institute of Technology. He is an PHD student at Sakarya University. His research interests include the finite element method, biomechanics, biomaterials, and additive manufacturing.
Levent Bayam is an orthopedic surgeon and associate professor at Medipol University, Istanbul, with a special interest in arthroscopy, lower arthroplasty, and biomechanic, biomedical engineering. He has completed 3 master’s degrees in the UK, a lower limb arthroplasty fellowship at Montreal University, Canada with visiting fellowship program by EFORT, and recently a one-year orthopedic oncology diploma, BOOS. He currently teaches at the biomedical engineering department and international medical school at Medipol University and is actively involved in research with many publications and presentations.
Efstathios Drampalos is a consultant at Forth Valley NHS Hospital, UK. He graduated from the University of Bologna, Italy in 2002 and completed his training in orthopedic surgery in Greece. He also completed two fellowships in Foot and Ankle Surgery at Wrightington and Wythenshawe hospitals. Since 2013, he has been working in the UK. He has many publications in peer review journals, 2 books, and many presentations in congresses. He teaches medical students at the University of Glasgow and he is a Senior clinical lecturer. His research interests include foot and ankle surgeries and biomechanical studies.
Amer Shoaib is a consultant orthopedic surgeon at Manchester University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, UK, specializing in surgery and conditions of the foot and ankle. His practice centers around foot and ankle surgery from bunions to ankle arthritis. He uses keyhole surgery for bunions, ankle pain, and Achilles tendon injuries. He also deals with complicated limb injuries and deformities with circular frame external fixators. He teaches courses run by the British Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society and gives lectures for the British Limb Reconstruction Society. He has also worked in several war zones for charities to treat casualties.
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Research ethics: Not applicable.
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Author contributions: Osman İYİBİLGİN: Finite element analysis and manuscript writing preparation; Engin GEPEK: Finite element analysis and experiments; Levent BAYAM: study planning and Manuscript writing preparation; Efstathios Drampalos: Writing the article and making corrections and comments; Amer Shoaib: Writing the article and making corrections and comments.
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Competing interests: The authors state no conflict of interest.
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Research funding: Scientific Research Projects Commission of Sakarya University (Project number: 2022-7-25-86).
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Data availability: The raw data can be obtained on request from the corresponding author.
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