A three-dimensional parameterized finite element model of the lower cervical spine, study of the influence of the posterior articular facets

Redistribution of Load of Injured Lower Cervical Spine Under Axial Compression Using FEM

“…Adopting the digitizing technique used in the simplified models of isolated cervical vertebra by Teo et al (1994) and Maurel et al (1997), this study utilized the digitized geometrical coordinates of a dried cadaveric cervical specimen obtained using a flexible three-dimensional movement digitizer.…”

“…The generated 3-dimensional C4-C6 FE model consisting of 11,187 nodes and 7,730 elements was developed (Figure 1). To analyze the FE model, appropriate material properties for each spinal component based from published data (Yoganandan et al, 1996, Maurel et al, 1997, Goel and Clausen, 1998 were adopted.…”

“…Yoganandan et al (1996) developed the first FE model of normal C4-C6 spine based on a cervical specimen and 1-mm computed tomographic (CT) scanned slices, and analyzed it under compression mode. Maurel et al (1997) developed a 3-dimensional spinal segment using simplified geometry parameters (planes, ellipses, cylinders, blocks, etc) and validated it under flexion, extension, lateral bending and torsion. Heitplatz et al, (1998) developed a simplified FE model of human spine and validated it under compressive loading with the intervertebral disc modeled using a combination of solid elements and nonlinear springs.…”

Development of a finite element model of the human cervical spine

“…These dynamic models include the skull and all of the vertebrae and discs (1,25,39). In contrast, models that are proposed for static simulation present more details of the geometry and material properties of the cervical spine (4, 24,27,48). However, these models do not include all segments of the cervical spine.…”

“…The simple rigid masses considered as vertebrae do not produce realistic results. Thereafter, detailed FE models were suggested by researchers, (13,24,41,48). In 1996, Yoganandan et al (48) proposed a detailed 3D FE model of the C4-C6 segment, including all of the important anatomic features such as the facet articulation surfaces and uncinate processes.…”