3D design of the new structure of the knee endoprosthesis minimizing the risk of mechanical damage

Knee arthroplasty is one of the most frequently performed surgeries today because it provides substantial pain relief and reinstatement of the patient’s correct knee motor functions and knee stabilization and restores the anatomical axis of the limb. A natural knee joint consists of three compartments, namely medial, lateral (the outer side of the knee), and patellofemoral (underneath the kneecap). Artificial replacement parts can be made of durable plastic, metal or ceramic. An endoprosthesis of the knee joint is an artificial joint adjusted in size and shape to the patient’s needs. Thus, an endoprosthesis implant operation is intended to partially or wholly replace the damaged elements of the knee joint. In the case of orthopedic implants made from metals, maximizing the stiffness is usually not the best approach, as the metal itself is already much stiffer than the surrounding bone. Therefore, the work aims to design and manufacture an endoprosthesis from a functional gradient material, which can imitate well the hierarchical and gradient structure of natural systems, meeting the requirements of its corrosion resistance and appropriate mechanical properties. After implantation, the most important thing is to fix the implant in the bone tissue. Therefore, such material must be biocompatible and have appropriate conditions for the growth of bone tissue.