In total hip arthroplasty, excessive acetabular cup deformations and altered strain distribution in the adjacent bone are potential risk factors for implant loosening. Materials with reduced stiffness might alter the strain distribution less, whereas shell and liner deformations might increase. The purpose of our current computational study was to evaluate whether carbon fiber-reinforced poly-ether-ether-ketones with a Young´s modulus of 15 GPa (CFR-PEEK-15) and 23 GPa (CFR-PEEK-23) might be an alternative shell material compared to titanium in terms of shell and liner deformation, as well as strain distribution in the adjacent bone. Using a finite element analysis, the press-fit implantation of modular acetabular cups with shells made of titanium, CFR-PEEK-15 and CFR-PEEK-23 in a human hemi-pelvis model was simulated. Liners made of ceramic and polyethylene were simulated. Radial shell and liner deformations as well as strain distributions were analyzed. The shells made of CFR-PEEK-15 were deformed most (266.7 µm), followed by CFR-PEEK-23 (136.5 µm) and titanium (54.0 µm). Subsequently, the ceramic liners were radially deformed by up to 4.4 µm and the polyethylene liners up to 184.7 µm. The shell materials slightly influenced the strain distribution in the adjacent bone with CFR-PEEK, resulting in less strain in critical regions (3000 µm/m) and more strain in bone building or sustaining regions (400 to 3000 µm/m), while the liner material only had a minor impact. The superior biomechanical properties of the acetabular shells made of CFR-PEEK could not be determined in our present study.

Open-book fractures are defined as the separation of the pubic symphysis or fractures of the rami and disruption of the anterior sacroiliac, sacrotuberous, and sacrospinal ligaments. They can be stabilized by fixation of the anterior arch. However, indications and advantages of additional placement of iliosacral screws remain unknown. A CT-based model of the healthy pelvis was created and ligaments were modeled as tension springs. Range of motion of the sacroiliac joint and the pubic symphysis, and bone and implant stresses were compared for the physiological model, anterior symphyseal plating alone, and additional posterior fixation using two iliosacral screws. The range of motion of the sacroiliac joint was reduced for anterior symphyseal plating alone and further decrease was noted with additional posterior fixation. Von Mises stresses acting on the symphyseal plate were 819.7 MPa for anterior fixation only and 711.56 MPa for additional posterior fixation equivalent with a safety factor of 1.1 and 1.26, respectively. Implant stresses were highest parasymphyseal. While bone stresses exhibited a more homogeneous distribution in the model of the healthy pelvis and the model with anterior and posterior fixation, pure symphyseal plating resulted in bending at the pelvic rami. The analysis does not indicate the superiority of either anterior plating alone or additional posterior fixation. In both cases, the physiological range of motion of the sacroiliac joint is permanently limited, which should be taken into account with regard to implant removal or more flexible techniques for stabilization of the sacroiliac joint.