METHODS FOR OPTIMIZATION FOR BONE-SUBSTITUTE ARCHITECTURES

Poster presented at the Colloquia Doctoralia in Materials Engineering on 30/05/2025

In order to study the influence of scaffold geometry on bone regeneration, a biomechanical model developed by Nasello et al. has been adapted and used. This model considers both cellular growth and scaffold performance, simplifying cellular invasion as a diffusion-driven process influenced by mechanical stimulus. As the diffusion progresses, the density of granulation tissue increases, resulting in a gradual rise in the Young’s modulus.

Six different TPMS (Triply Periodic Minimal Surface) geometries of hydroxyapatite scaffolds have been created and evaluated under different loading conditions during 84 days. Several variables were calculated for the three loading scenarios over time, including the mass of the granulation tissue, its Young’s modulus, the daily strain stimulus for bone formation, and most notably, the average density of the newly formed bone.

On the other hand, the initial results of a clinical case study of a patient with an 8 cm defect located in the calcaneus were also presented.