• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.268-275
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• 2023

In this paper, we designed 3D-printed orthopedic splint models for patient-specific external coaptation on fracture healing and analyzed the stability of the models through finite element method (FEM) analysis under compressive load conditions. Polylactic acid (PLA) and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) based 3D splint models of the thicknesses 1, 3, 5 and 7 mm were designed, and Peak von Mises stress (PVMS) and maximum displacement (MD) of the models were analyzed by FEM under compressive loads of 50, 100, 150, and 200 N. The FEM results indicated that PVMS and MD values, regardless of material, had a negative correlation with the thickness of the models and a positive correlation with the compressive load. There was a risk of splint deformation under conditions more extreme than 100 N with 5 mm thickness. For successful clinical application of 3D-printed orthopedic splints in veterinary medicine, it is recommended that the splint should be produced not less than 5 mm thickness. Also, it is expected to be stable when the splint is applied to situations with a compressive load of 100 N or less. There is an advantage of overcoming the limitations of the existing bandage method through 3D-printing technology as well as verifying the stability through 3D modeling before application. Such 3D printing technology will be widely used in veterinary medicine and various fields as well as orthopedics.