AUTHOR=Bansod Yogesh Deepak , Kebbach Maeruan , Kluess Daniel , Bader Rainer , van Rienen Ursula 

TITLE=Computational Analysis of Bone Remodeling in the Proximal Tibia Under Electrical Stimulation Considering the Piezoelectric Properties

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology

VOLUME=Volume 9 - 2021

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/bioengineering-and-biotechnology/articles/10.3389/fbioe.2021.705199

DOI=10.3389/fbioe.2021.705199

ISSN=2296-4185

ABSTRACT=The piezoelectricity of bone has been shown to play a key role both in bone adaptation and regeneration. The application of an external stimulus such as mechanical strain or electric field has the potential to enhance bone formation and implant osseointegration. Therefore, the objective of this study is to investigate bone remodeling under electromechanical stimulation as an initial step in establishing therapeutic strategies. For the first time, piezoelectric bone remodeling in the human proximal tibia under electro-mechanical loads was analyzed using the finite element method with an open-source framework. The predicted bone density distributions were qualitatively and quantitatively assessed by comparing with the computed tomography (CT) scan and the bone mineral density calculated from the CT, respectively. The effect of model parameters such as uniform initial bone density and reference stimulus on the predicted bone density distribution was investigated. The results of the parametric study showed that for different values of initial bone density the model predicted similar but not identical final density distribution. It was also shown that higher reference stimulus value yielded lower average bone density at the final time. The present study demonstrates an increase in bone density as a result of electrical stimulation. Thus, to reduce bone loss in cases of physical impairment or osteoporosis, the mechanical loads during daily activities could be partially replaced by therapeutic electrical stimulation.