Numerical simulation of heating from an acrylic implant in bone.

Heat transfer in an acrylic cement-bone system during hyperthermia has been has been simulated by using a spectral element method, using a 2-D linear model which combines the geometric flexibility of low-order finite element methods and high accuracy of spectral methods. The work is directed at obtaining a fundamental understanding of factors affecting hyperthermia therapy applied to giant cell tumors of bone in a two-dimensional model at a cross-section of the distal femur. Results suggest the heating may be significant within approximately 4 mm to 7 mm of the interface of the acrylic and the cancellous bone. Computational results are compared with published experimental results.