Desired Properties of Disc in Numerical Models and Its Influence on Biomechanical Behavior of Lumbar Spine

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 Master of Science, Mechanical Engineering Department , University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

2 Assistant Professor,Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

3 Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering Department, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

4 Associate Professor, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

In this paper, nonlinear finite element modeling has been presented to conduct a parametric study of disc properties on biomechanical behavior of lumbar spine. This model includes vertebrae (cancellous bone and cortical bone), disc (nucleus, annulus fibrosus, and collagen fibers), end plates, and ligaments. 3 dimensions geometry was reconstructed from computed tomography scans of lumber spine. After applying loads (compression, moment and their combinations) and boundary conditions (fixed L5) to the model, finite element analysis was conducted. Experimental tests available in literature indicated that lumbar spine shows a nonlinear mechanical behavior; hence, to consider this nonlinear behavior in this work, ligaments and annulus fibers have been modeled as nonlinear springs. The obtained results of the current study, which include intradiscal pressure and intervertebral rotation, have been compared with previous in-vitro as well as numerical data. The results of this work showed that stiffening the disc leads to decreased intervertebral rotation in different anatomical planes and the intradiscal pressure.

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Main Subjects

References

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Amirkabir Journal of Mechanical Engineering
Volume 52, Issue 1
April 2020
Pages 187-202

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