Open Access

ARTICLE

Computational Fluid Dynamics Modeling of the Effect Of Rotation During Reaming into the Intramedullary Canal of a Long Bone

by J. Bahen¹, O. Gaber¹, K. Behdinan², J. De Beer³, P. Zalzal⁴, M. Papini¹, M. Z. Saghir¹

1 Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Ryerson University, Toronto, On, Canada
2 Department of Aerospace Engineering,Ryerson University,Toronto, On, Canada
3 Henderson Hospital, Hamilton, On, Canada
4 Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, On, Canada

Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing 2005, 1(4), 343-352. https://doi.org/10.3970/fdmp.2005.001.343

Abstract

The penetration of the reamer into the medullary cavity can be compared to a piston entering a cylinder filled with viscous fluid. When the flutes of the reamer are clogged with bone debris, fat and marrow, the piston effect is magnified and larger pressures are usually obtained. This paper considers a reamer with clogged flutes and investigates whether the rotation speed of the reamer has a significant influence on the pressure within the intramedullary cavity. The effect of reamer rotation speed on the pressure distribution within the bone is investigated numerically by solving the full three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations together with the continuity equation by means of a finite element technique. The model shows that as the rotation speed is increased for a reamer with clogged flutes, the pressure within the intramedullary canal does not exhibit a significant increase.

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Keywords

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