Trabecular bone osteoporosis model with bone screw

thingiverse

Osteoporosis is a disease affecting millions worldwide that gradually weakens bone tissue, making it more susceptible to fractures. Approximately 200 million people suffer from osteoporosis, and globally, one in three women and one in five men over the age of fifty will experience an osteoporotic fracture. These two 3D printing models vividly demonstrate the destructive impact of osteoporosis on human bone microstructure. The "healthy" model represents trabecular bone from a young person, while the "osteoporosis" model showcases a weakened trabecular microstructure due to osteoporosis. Both models include a bone screw used in orthopedic surgeries for implant fixation that fits seamlessly into both designs. It is clear that its fixation is stronger in healthy bone and weaker in osteoporotic bone, highlighting that osteoporosis not only increases fracture risk but also makes fractures more challenging to treat. A geometric measure of the amount of bone tissue per unit volume is BV/TV (Bone Volume over Tissue Volume). The "healthy" model boasts a BV/TV of 30%, while the "osteoporosis" model has a BV/TV of 10%. To aid in remembering these descriptive values for each bone model, two labels are included that can be 3D-printed and attached by a string. The two models were created from micro-ct images with medtool at the Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences. The idea was initiated by dhp73. The models have been upscaled by a factor of fifteen to increase their size, although in reality, the bone cubes measured 6.1x6.1x6.1mm.