Simulating bone healing with bio-resorbable scaffolds in a three-dimensional system: insights into graft resorption and integration

This study introduces a three-dimensional (3D) model for investigating the interactions between trabecular bone tissue and bio-resorbable grafts, focusing on their role in bone remodelling processes. Using principles of poroelasticity, the model captures the mechanical behaviour of both bone and graft as porous continua, with their interaction influenced by time-varying mechanical loads and diffusive mechanical stimuli. The stimuli, originating from the strain energy density, propagate through the system, triggering bone formation and graft resorption across distant regions. Numerical simulations reveal the critical impact of load frequency and intensity on remodelling efficiency, with higher values promoting improved bone density and graft integration. This 3D approach provides information on optimizing scaffold design, offering valuable guidance to improve clinical outcomes in bone repair and regeneration procedures.