Applicable Technical Skills:

✅ CAD using Autodesk Inventor 2022

✅ Detailed engineering design calculations

✅ Engineering sketches

✅ 3D printing using PrusaSlicer

Applicable Soft Skills:

✅ Teamwork and Collaboration

✅ Problem-solving

✅ Time management

✅ Oral and written communication

For our second project, we were challenged to diagnose a patient’s medical condition warranting total hip arthroplasty and redesign a hip implant tailored to the specific patient.

Each individual part of the hip implant on Autodesk Inventor*.*

The completed print of the total hip implant

Patient Profiling

Before designing and diagnosing our patient, Ke Huy-Quan’s, we had to create an in-depth patient profile.

Symptoms

• Initially aware of arthritis in the left hip, took over-the-counter pain medication for pain
• 5 years later, there was slight pain in his thigh and groin
• 7 years after implant, more pain in the hip (the over-the-counter medication was taken throughout this time period)
• Has shortness of breath upon completing one set of stairs
• Has slight gait disturbance
• Presents with severe pain at hip joint

Imaging Indicators

• End-stage arthritis in the left hip
• Potential bone loss after between 5- and 7-year post-op (not enough calcium and vitamin D (poor diet), lack of exercise that would otherwise build strong bones)

Previous Medications/Doctor Visits

• Over the counter anti-inflammatory medication
• Arthroplasty in left hip (cementless implant with a polyethylene surface)

Miscellaneous Notes

• Packing a lot of weight (over 40 pounds), causing a lot of pressure on his hip, being a factor of his pain
• Works long hours (no time to exercise and lots of stress)
• Was a smoker

Patient Final Diagnosis

Aseptic Loosening caused by Periprosthetic Osteolysis

• Imaging shows bone deterioration (possibly due to poor diet and lack of exercise)
• Cementless implants use patient bone to hold implants in place, so any deterioration of the bone would result in loosening
• Pain in thigh and groin are symptoms of aseptic loosening
• Periprosthetic Osteolysis can be caused by the presence of particulate debris, specifically particulate polyethylene
• Bad diet (lack of calcium) and lack of exercise causes bone loss
• Polyethylene or other materials in a joint implant can wear down. When this happens, debris can accumulate in the surrounding joint tissue. This, in turn, causes inflammation that can result in degeneration of the bone.

Design Process

The design process for the custom hip implant included a multitude of ideas being pitched during brainstorming. We chose one design and improved on it leading to the development of our unique hip implant attachment: wrapping the femoral stem with studs to improve friction through the interlocking effect. As a part of the sub-modelling team, alongside my partner, I came up with different ways to implement our idea and modelling multiple versions.

Evolution of our design ideas to the hip implant with studs that produce the interlocking effect, increasing the friction between the stem and bone, thus reducing aseptic loosening.