Computation electrical variables induced by magnetic stimulation in 3D thigh model

This paper presents the changes in the electrical variables induced in a 3D thigh model with femoral diaphyseal fracture when it is magnetically stimulated. Three cases with particular geometries of the models were considered: skin, muscle, cortical bone (CB), bone marrow, metal pin, and fracture shape. Fracture shape included electric properties for blood, cartilage, trabecular bone (TB), and cortical bone (CB), to represent the consolidation process. A Helmholtz coil was added to the thigh model as stimulation source. The stimulation signal was between 0.5 and 2 mT, and between 5 and 100 Hz. The results shown than induced electric signals were higher for a change in frequency than a change in magnetic field. An important dependence between frequency, magnetic field, fracture shape, and fracture properties was found. The result suggest that the consolidation process could be better if different magnetic stimulation levels were considered.