The examination of stress shielding in a finite element lumbar spine inclusive of the thoracolumbar fascia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily Newell ◽  
Mark Driscoll
Keyword(s):  
Finite Element ◽  
Lumbar Spine ◽  
Stress Shielding ◽  
Thoracolumbar Fascia

scholarly journals MDCT-Based Finite Element Analyses: Are Measurements at the Lumbar Spine Associated with the Biomechanical Strength of Functional Spinal Units of Incidental Osteoporotic Fractures along the Thoracolumbar Spine?

Diagnostics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 455
Author(s):  
Nico Sollmann ◽  
Nithin Manohar Rayudu ◽  
Long Yu Yeung ◽  
Anjany Sekuboyina ◽  
Egon Burian ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Finite Element ◽  
Lumbar Spine ◽  
Fracture Risk ◽  
Thoracolumbar Spine ◽  
Areal Bone Mineral Density ◽  
Mineral Density ◽  
Osteoporotic Vertebral Fractures ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Biomechanical Strength

Assessment of osteoporosis-associated fracture risk during clinical routine is based on the evaluation of clinical risk factors and T-scores, as derived from measurements of areal bone mineral density (aBMD). However, these parameters are limited in their ability to identify patients at high fracture risk. Finite element models (FEMs) have shown to improve bone strength prediction beyond aBMD. This study aims to investigate whether FEM measurements at the lumbar spine can predict the biomechanical strength of functional spinal units (FSUs) with incidental osteoporotic vertebral fractures (VFs) along the thoracolumbar spine. Multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) data of 11 patients (5 females and 6 males, median age: 67 years) who underwent MDCT twice (median interval between baseline and follow-up MDCT: 18 months) and sustained an incidental osteoporotic VF between baseline and follow-up scanning were used. Based on baseline MDCT data, two FSUs consisting of vertebral bodies and intervertebral discs (IVDs) were modeled: one standardly capturing L1-IVD–L2-IVD–L3 (FSU_L1–L3) and one modeling the incidentally fractured vertebral body at the center of the FSU (FSU_F). Furthermore, volumetric BMD (vBMD) derived from MDCT, FEM-based displacement, and FEM-based load of the single vertebrae L1 to L3 were determined. Statistically significant correlations (adjusted for a BMD ratio of fracture/L1–L3 segments) were revealed between the FSU_F and mean load of L1 to L3 (r = 0.814, p = 0.004) and the mean vBMD of L1 to L3 (r = 0.745, p = 0.013), whereas there was no statistically significant association between the FSU_F and FSU_L1–L3 or between FSU_F and the mean displacement of L1 to L3 (p > 0.05). In conclusion, FEM measurements of single vertebrae at the lumbar spine may be able to predict the biomechanical strength of incidentally fractured vertebral segments along the thoracolumbar spine, while FSUs seem to predict only segment-specific fracture risk.

Finite Element Assessment of a Porous Tibial Implant Design Using Rhombic Dodecahedron Structure

2021 ◽  
Vol 318 ◽  
pp. 71-81
Author(s):  
Basma Eltlhawy ◽  
Tawfik El-Midany ◽  
Noha Fouda ◽  
Ibrahim Eldesouky
Keyword(s):  
Finite Element ◽  
Clinical Performance ◽  
Bone Ingrowth ◽  
Maximum Shear Stress ◽  
Compressive Loading ◽  
Stress Shielding ◽  
Titanium Implant ◽  
Implant Design ◽  
Implant Fixation ◽  
Rhombic Dodecahedron

The current research presents a novel porous tibia implant design based on porous structure. The implant proximal portion was designed as a porous rhombic dodecahedron structure with 500 μm pore size. Finite element method (FEM) was used to assess the stem behavior under compressive loading compared to a solid stem model. CATIA V5R18 was used for modeling both rhombic dodecahedron and full solid models. Static structural analysis was carried out using ANSYS R18.1 to asses the implant designs. The results indicated enhanced clinical performance of tibial-knee implants compared to the solid titanium implant via increasing the maximum von-Mises stresses by 64% under the tibial tray in porous implant which reduce stress shielding. Also, the maximum shear stress developed in bone/implant interface was reduced by 68% combined with relieving the stress concentration under the stem tip to relieve patients' pain. Finally, porous implants provide cavities for bone ingrowth which improve implant fixation.

Biomechanical in Vitro and Finite Element Study On Different Sagittal Alignment Postures of the Lumbar Spine During Multiaxial Daily Motion

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadja Wilmanns ◽  
Agnes Beckmann ◽  
Luis Fernando Nicolini ◽  
Christian Herren ◽  
Rolf Sobottke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Finite Element ◽  
Lumbar Spine ◽  
Planning Process ◽  
Axial Rotation ◽  
Intervertebral Discs ◽  
Fe Model ◽  
Bending Moments ◽  
Sagittal Spinal Alignment ◽  
Biomechanical Response

Abstract Lumbar Lordotic correction (LLC), the gold standard treatment for Sagittal Spinal malalignment (SMA), and its effect on sagittal balance have been critically discussed in recent studies. This paper assesses the biomechanical response of the spinal components to LLC as an additional factor for the evaluation of LLC. Human lumbar spines (L2L5) were loaded with combined bending moments in Flexion (Flex)/Extension (Ex) or Lateral Bending (LatBend) and Axial Rotation (AxRot) in a physiological environment. We examined the dependency of AxRot range of motion (RoM) on the applied bending moment. The results were used to validate a Finite Element (FE) model of the lumbar spine. With this model, the biomechanical response of the intervertebral discs (IVD) and facet joints under daily motion was studied for different sagittal spinal alignment (SA) postures, simulated by a motion in Flex/Ex direction. Applied bending moments decreased AxRot RoM significantly (all P<0.001). A stronger decline of AxRot RoM for Ex than for Flex direction was observed (all P<0.0001). Our simulated results largely agreed with the experimental data (all R2>0.79). During daily motion, the IVD was loaded higher with increasing lumbar lordosis (LL) for all evaluated values at L2L3 and L3L4 and posterior Annulus Stress (AS) at L4L5 (all P<0.0476). The results of this study indicate that LLC with large extensions of LL may not always be advantageous regarding the biomechanical loading of the IVD. This finding may be used to improve the planning process of LLC treatments.

scholarly journals Determination of anisotropic elastic parameters from morphological parameters of cancellous bone for osteoporotic lumbar spine

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christoph Oefner ◽  
Elena Riemer ◽  
Kerstin Funke ◽  
Michael Werner ◽  
Christoph-Eckhard Heyde ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Finite Element ◽  
Lumbar Spine ◽  
Cancellous Bone ◽  
Elastic Constants ◽  
Bone Volume ◽  
Human Bone ◽  
Homogenization Theory ◽  
Elastic Parameters ◽  
Anisotropic Elastic

AbstractIn biomechanics, large finite element models with macroscopic representation of several bones or joints are necessary to analyze implant failure mechanisms. In order to handle large simulation models of human bone, it is crucial to homogenize the trabecular structure regarding the mechanical behavior without losing information about the realistic material properties. Accordingly, morphology and fabric measurements of 60 vertebral cancellous bone samples from three osteoporotic lumbar spines were performed on the basis of X-ray microtomography (μCT) images to determine anisotropic elastic parameters as a function of bone density in the area of pedicle screw anchorage. The fabric tensor was mapped in cubic bone volumes by a 3D mean-intercept-length method. Fabric measurements resulted in a high degree of anisotropy (DA = 0.554). For the Young’s and shear moduli as a function of bone volume fraction (BV/TV, bone volume/total volume), an individually fit function was determined and high correlations were found (97.3 ≤ R2 ≤ 99.1,p < 0.005). The results suggest that the mathematical formulation for the relationship between anisotropic elastic constants and BV/TV is applicable to current μCT data of cancellous bone in the osteoporotic lumbar spine. In combination with the obtained results and findings, the developed routine allows determination of elastic constants of osteoporotic lumbar spine. Based on this, the elastic constants determined using homogenization theory can enable efficient investigation of human bone using finite element analysis (FEA).

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