Bone stabilizer model

A model of a bone stabilizer made using a 3D printer

For his master's thesis, Mr. Filip Dominas needed a way to present the results of the simulation of the optimal location of the stabilizer for a fractured tibia in terms of stress resistance. Mr. Filip Dominas decided to go further than using 3D models. He decided to present his achievements in a more tangible way, while also presenting the use of new technology in surgery and medical engineering.

Creation of a bone stabilization model using 3D printing

First, Mr. Dominas prepared simplified three-dimensional models of the talus, tibia and fibula, based on a real fracture case. Elements such as tendons and veins were omitted due to their lack of importance in the stress analysis. Then, models of the stabilizer itself were created in the form of plates attached to the bones. The 3D models prepared in this way have been divided into smaller parts to correspond to the working field of the 3D printer ZMorph . Mr. Filip Dominas used software Voxelizer to prepare 3D models for 3D printing. The bone model elements prepared and printed in this way were then glued together at a scale of 1:1 compared to the original.

Ready-made model of a bone stabilizer using a 3D printer

The subject of Filip Dominas's master's thesis was to indicate the optimal variant of stabilization of a broken bone by analyzing the stresses of five possible cases. Mr. Filip used a ZMorph 3D printer to present the results of his research using a tangible 3D bone model with a stabilizer. A similar process can be used successfully by engineers to create presentation models and prototypes of medical devices. Moreover, thanks to similar, cheap and easy to produce 3D models, surgeons can explain procedures to their patients in an accessible way and facilitate preparation for surgery.