A finite element model for predicting the biomechanical behaviour of the human lumbar spine

Pitzen, Tobias; Geisler, Fred H.; Matthis, Dieter; Müller-Storz, Hans; Barbier, D; Steudel, Wolf-Ingo; Feldges, A.

doi:10.1016/s0967-0661(01)00129-0

Cited by 52 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…The intervertebral disc, for example, has been included in the FE studies with several approaches: almost-incompressible solid elements 25 or fluid elements for the nucleus pulposus 26 ; anisotropic solid, fiber-reinforced composite or more complex continuum elements for the annulus fibrosus. 27 In the present work, the nucleus pulposus was modeled as an almost-incompressible material, as suggested by Pitzen et al 9 The annulus fibrosus was modeled as a linear cylindrical orthotropic material. Even if the intervertebral disc is not exactly a cylindrical structure, the assumption of cylindrical orthotropy is not expected to strongly affect our simulation results.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The nucleus pulposus was modeled as an almostincompressible continuum, with elastic modulus 1 MPa and Poisson ratio 0.499. 9 The ligaments were modeled as nonlinear springs 10 and were assumed to sustain tensile force only. The ligaments included in the model were: anterior longitudinal, posterior longitudinal, flavum, intertransverse, interspinous, supraspinous, and capsular.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Biomechanics of the Lumbar Spine After Dynamic Stabilization

Bellini¹,

Galbusera²,

Raimondi³

et al. 2007

Journal of Spinal Disorders &Amp; Techniques

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Target of the study was to predict the biomechanics of the instrumented and adjacent levels due to the insertion of the DIAM spinal stabilization system (Medtronic Ltd). For this purpose, a 3-dimensional finite element model of the intact L3/ S1 segment was developed and subjected to different loading conditions (flexion, extension, lateral bending, axial rotation). The model was then instrumented at the L4/L5 level and the same loading conditions were reapplied. Within the assumptions of our model, the simulation results suggested that the implant caused a reduction in range of motion of the instrumented level by 17% in flexion and by 43% in extension, whereas at the adjacent levels, no significant changes were predicted. Numerical results in terms of intradiscal pressure, relative to the intact condition, predicted that the intervertebral disc at the instrumented level was unloaded by 27% in flexion, by 51% in extension, and by 6% in axial rotation, while no variations in pressure were caused by the device in lateral bending. At the adjacent levels, a change of relative intradiscal pressure was predicted in extension, both at the L3/L4 level, which resulted unloaded by 26% and at the L5/S1 level, unloaded by 8%. Furthermore, a reduction in terms of principal compressive stress in the annulus fibrosus of the L4/L5 instrumented level was predicted, as compared with the intact condition. These numerical predictions have to be regarded as a theoretical representation of the behavior of the spine, because any finite element model represents only a simplification of the real structure.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biomechanics of the Lumbar Spine After Dynamic Stabilization

Bellini¹,

Galbusera²,

Raimondi³

et al. 2007

Journal of Spinal Disorders &Amp; Techniques

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The considered springs and dampers simulate mainly damping and stiffness of vertebral disks but additional ones can be considered to better simulate muscles around the spine. Several other musculoskeletal models have been proposed in a quite riche literature both from technical and biomedical viewpoints, like for examples those listed in references for considering visualization aims of spine motion in [8,15], a stiffness evaluation of a spine as serial connected bodies in [6,9,13], stress analysis in spine behavior in [10][11][12]14].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Simulation of the Lumbar Spine as a Multi-Module Paralel Manipulator

Ceccarelli

Saltarelo

Carbone

et al. 2011

Applied Bionics and Biomechanics

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Abstract. In this paper a simulation of movements of lumbar spine is proposed by using a model with serially connected parallel manipulators. An analysis has been computed for the human spine structure and its movements, in order to simulate the motions and forces that actuate a spine specifically in the lumbar segment. A mechanical model has been designed with available identified parameters of human spine, by using characteristics of parallel manipulators and spring stiffness. This model is suitable to properly simulate the trunk behavior at macroscopic level but also the smooth behavior of intervertebral discs and actuating motions of muscles and tendons. Simulation results for spring actions and joints reaction forces can give an evaluation of the forces that intervertebral discs supports during motions of a real spine.

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“…Many authors have studied pathological conditions of the functional spine unit related to disk degeneration processes, osteoporotic condition, end-plate fractures and different resections of the iatrogenic nature [33][34][35][36][37][38], but at the moment, as far as we know, the influence on joint facets and intervertebral disk stresses and the disk bulge of spinal-pelvic balancing alterations has not been studied.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biomechanical consideration for dorsal-lumbar and lumbar sagittal spine disorders

Bignardi

Ramieri

Costanzo

2009

Modelling in Medicine and Biology VIII

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Lower back pain is one of the most important socioeconomic diseases and one of the most important health care issues today. On average, 50-90% of the adult population suffers from lower back pain and lifetime prevalence of lower back pain is 65-80%. The causes of lower back pain often remain unclear and may vary from patient to patient. It is estimated that 75% of such cases are associated disorders of the rachis mean back (kyphosis) or front (lordosis) pathological deviations, irreducible in various measures, resulting from structural diskligament and vertebral alterations of various etiologies. Three numerical models of the dorsal-lumbar spine, respectively a physiological model, a ipolordotic model and a kyphotic model, have been realized considering bone, disks and ligaments with their specific mechanical characteristics. For the load and boundary conditions chosen, joint facets and intervertebral disk stresses and disk bulge have been compared for the three spine situations. When it has been possible, the obtained results have been validated with data available in literature regarding both experimental and computational studies. In conclusion it can be assumed that dorsal-lumbar and lumbar sagittal spine disorders can determine premature disks and joints alterations. In particular, it seems that dorsal-lumbar kyphosis, more than lumbar ipolordosis, can expose joint facets and disks to non physiological loads. In addition, if the genetic role of disk degeneration is acknowledged, it is probable that the correction, at a precocious age, of sagittal spine imbalance, can prevent or slacken the disk-joint lumbar-sacral degenerative phenomena. The obtained results agree with the clinical experience.

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A finite element model for predicting the biomechanical behaviour of the human lumbar spine

Cited by 52 publications

References 11 publications

Biomechanics of the Lumbar Spine After Dynamic Stabilization

Biomechanics of the Lumbar Spine After Dynamic Stabilization

Simulation of the Lumbar Spine as a Multi-Module Paralel Manipulator

Biomechanical consideration for dorsal-lumbar and lumbar sagittal spine disorders

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