Finite Element Predictions of Joint Contact Mechanics and Acetabular Curvature in Dysplastic Human Hips

Acetabular dysplasia is characterized by a shallow acetabulum and is believed to cause accelerated hip osteoarthritis (OA) via altered mechanics (Fig. 1 A, B) [1]. Dysplastic acetabula are also described as more flat and less congruent than normal acetabula [2]. However, the relative contributions of altered labrum and cartilage contact mechanics, as well as quantitative differences in curvature are poorly understood in the dysplastic hip compared to the normal hip. Clinical observations of hypertrophied and damaged labra indicate altered labrum mechanics in dysplastic hips [3]. Finite element (FE) studies demonstrate abnormal cartilage mechanics in dysplastic hips, but are limited to models that omit the labrum or utilize idealized joint geometry (e.g., [4]). Therefore, the objectives of this study were to compare contact mechanics and curvature between normal and dysplastic hips using subject-specific FE models.