Overview
Project status: In progress
The goal of fracture treatment is for the injured limb to regain function quickly, reliably and safely. The fracture healing process is sensitive to mechanical factors including stabilisation (fixation) devices.
The three primary goals of this project are:
- to identify knowledge gaps, to be addressed both computationally and experimentally, in the understanding of the fracture healing process;
- to develop simulations and guiding principles towards optimal fixation selection and configuration for functional restoration of the affected limb; and
- to develop a tool that aids implant developers in the design and pre-clinical testing of novel and improved fracture fixation devices.
- Grantor
- ARC Linkage Project grant
- Research leader
- Organisational unit
- Lead unit Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation Other units
Details
Bone growth around fracture site (only 1 quarter is shown)
The COMFRA project commenced in 2005. Under the previous phase of the project we have:
- developed an innovative computational algorithm to predict the course of tissue differentiation during fracture healing in response to mechanical stimulation;
- applied the algorithm to 2 & 3-dimensional models of fractured sheep tibiae fixed by intramedullary nails.
Currently we are characterizing the interfaces between bone and plate fixation devices and evaluating their influences on fracture healing outcomes. The purpose of the following phase of the project is to study the osteoporosis that occurs under plate fixations. Both bone remodelling induced by stress shielding and vascular remodelling due to blood deficiency will be investigated.
In parallel to the biomechanical modelling, we are also developing mathematical models of the early biological processes in fracture healing. These include processes common to wound healing in soft tissues, and we propose that they contribute critically to the formation of the stabilising callus at the fracture site.
