ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to validate the three dimensional finite element model of a human femur with a customized hip implant. The experimental test concerned a strain gauge analysis and the numerical models were CT data based. Two numerical models were considered. The first one (theoretical model) was reconstructed by mean of the preoperative CT scan exam. The second one (real model) was issued from the postoperative CT scan exam.
The numerical results were compared with that of the experimental ones and the differences did not exceed 13% for the axial strains, and reached 50% for the transverse ones. This phenomenon was probably due to the anisotropic degree approximation and to the small range of magnitude measurements. Finally it has been demonstrated that this model was reliable to represent the femur with customized hip implant by a three dimensional finite element method.
