Method for accurate removal of trabecular bone samples from a curved articulating surface of the distal femur

Abstract

Background

Knowing the mechanical properties of trabecular bone is critical for many branches of orthopaedic research. Trabecular bone is anisotropic and the principal trabecular direction is usually aligned with the load it transmits. It is therefore critical that the mechanical properties are measured as close as possible to this direction, which is often perpendicular to a curved articulating surface. Methods: This study presents a method to extract trabecular bone cores perpendicular to a curved articulating surface of the distal femur. Cutting guides were generated from computed tomography scans of 12 human distal femora and a series of cutting tools were used to release cylindrical bone cores from the femora. The bone cores were then measured to identify the angle between the bone core axis and the principal trabecular axis.

Findings

The method yielded an 83% success rate in core extraction over 10 core locations per distal femur specimen. In the condyles, 97% of extracted cores were aligned with the principal trabecular direction.

Interpretation

This method is a reliable way of extracting trabecular bone specimens perpendicular to a curved articular surface and could be useful across the field of orthopaedic research.