Abstract 49

DEVELOPMENT OF RSA FOR THE IN-VIVO ASSESSMENT OF THE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF HEALING FRACTURES

Mellick J Chehade

University of Adelaide; Department of Orthopaedics and Trauma, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia

The accurate in-vivo assessment of the mechanical properties of healing fractures remains a major challenge. Radiosteriometric Analysis (RSA) is able to very accurately measure changes in positions of bone or implants using plain radiography. There are a few reports of its use in trauma but only with respect to changes in the position of bone or implant position with respect to time. A measure of fracture stiffness can be determined by simultaneously measuring a deforming force and the resultant change in the position of the tantalum markers defining the position of fracture fragments under investigation. The "dynamic test" position is therefore compared with the unloaded static position. This concept has potential clinical application in many fracture or ligamentous trauma situations allowing clinical management decisions to be made on the basis of accurate objectively determined mechanical data. Defining clinical endpoints to fracture healing and load restraints during fracture healing will be possible. It will also allow objective comparisons between different treatment modalities. A research program is currently underway in Adelaide to establish RSA as both a clinical and research tool in Orthopaedic Trauma and our early experience will be presented.

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