Toegepaste Wiskunde en Technische Natuurkunde
Tibiaplateau fractures
Simulations of fixation methods for tibiaplateau fractures
To investigate the best fixation method for a tibiaplateau fracture, simulations have been made. With an app in MATLAB, users can provide inputs like fracture type and force and the simulation will provide the maximum separation of the bone with which the best fixation method can be determined.

Surgical fixation is commonly used for complex tibial plateau fractures. For now, it is unclear when the patient gets to use his knee after the surgery. To gain more insight in this, a physics model can be made of the tibial plateau, including fracture and the surgical fixation, to determine the deviation of the fracture depending on the fixation. In a previous research is investigated how the amount of plates and screws affect the deviation of the fracture and so the recovery period. The result of this investigation is a simplified geometry for one type of fracture according to the Schatzker classification.
This research will create a basis for following projects to create models of several Schatzker classification types of fractures including a surgical fixation method. Therefore this project is also relevant for the initiator of this project, dr. C. Jaspars of Orthopedie Groot Eindhoven. Dr. C. Jaspars has asked for a determination of the pressure that a fixed tibial plateau fracture can handle depending on the fixation method. The goal for this research is to make a three dimensional model for four of the Schatzker classification types of tibial plateau fractures, type I, II, III and V with COMSOL Multiphysics including the fixation methods that are often used by dr. C. Jaspars. The calculation of these models will be done in MATLAB. The geometry, pressure and mesh will be imported from COMSOL to calculate the deviation of the fracture in MATLAB.
To reach the goal of this project, a literature study is done to the several types of fractures, fixation methods, the composition of bone and the FEM-analysis. The calculated deviations are in the amount of mm. There is also an application created to adapt parameters in the model.
This project shows a collaboration between physicists, mathematicians and medical staff and where the three expertises come together. Furthermore this research might help to shorten the rehabilitation process for patients who had this surgery.

Robin Heijmans, Sem Janssen, Else Okkinga, Irene Sturm, Lieke Wiegers

Eindhoven, June 2021

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