Finite element analysis of the tibial component alignment in a transverse plane in total knee arthroplasty

Abstract

The research aims to analyze the tibial component rotation using the finite element method by resecting the tibia in a transverse plane at an angle between 1.5° (external rotation) and -1.5° (internal rotation). We used a three-dimensional scanner to obtain the tibia's geometrical model of a cadaveric specimen. We then exported the surfaces of the tibial geometrical model through the Computer-Aided Three-dimensional Interactive Application (CATIA), which is a Computer-Aided Design (CAD) program. The CAD program threedimensionally shaped the tibial component, polyethylene, and cement. Our analysis determined that the maximum equivalent stress is obtained in the case of proximal tibial resection at -1.5° angle in a transverse plane (internal rotation) with a value of 12.75 MPa, which is also obtained for the polyethylene (7.693 MPa) and cement (6.6 MPa). The results have shown that detrimental effects begin to occur at -1.5°. We propose the use of this finite element method to simulate the positioning of the tibial component at different tibial resection angles to appreciate the optimal rotation.