My name is Cléa SIEFFERT, and my research journey into cementoplasty began during my final-year project in engineering studies specializing in polymer processing. It was through this project that I was first introduced to percutaneous cementoplasty. This minimally invasive procedure consists of injecting orthopedic cement into metastatic bone to stabilize it and alleviate pain in fragile patients. Initially performed in the vertebrae, the technique is now increasingly used in the pelvis, the second most common site of bone metastases.
Unfortunately, treating the pelvic region involves injecting cement volumes greater than those used in the vertebrae, which introduces technical challenges and may sometimes require the addition of screws to stabilize critical areas near the hip joint. Despite its growing use, clinical practices remain largely empirical and poorly standardized. Moreover, practitioner training is limited by the absence of dedicated devices specifically designed for learning pelvic cementoplasty.
In this context, my thesis focused on developing several devices and tools to support practitioners:
- A manual injection system adapted to large cement volumes;
- A pelvic phantom for practitioner training;
- The development of patient-specific finite element models to compare different cementoplasty restoration strategies, with and without screws and cement.
Of course, this project would not have been possible without the support of ITI HealthTech, which co-financed my thesis as part of their PhD program, together with the Doctoral School of Mathematics, Information Science, and Engineering (MSII ED 269).
Following my thesis, I would like to continue working in the field of medical device development. I am therefore seeking a postdoctoral position in device development, with a particular interest in the pelvic region, which has been the main anatomical focus of my doctoral work. I wish to continue contributing to innovative clinical solutions by combining experimental work, numerical modeling, and close collaboration with healthcare professionals.
Defense date: 12/11/2025
