HIGH FIDELITY COMPUTATIONAL APPROACH TO VALIDATE SPINE BIOMECHANICS MEASUREMENTS: A CASE STUDY TO CORRECT SCOLIOSIS

摘要

This paper presents a high fidelity computational approach to be used in validation of biomechanics experimental measurements. As a demonstration, a case study involving a spinous process implant to correct scoliosis is presented. The biomechanical behavior of the spinous process and implant under tensile loading is investigated using experiments and computations. The experimental study examined the ultimate strength of calf thoracic and lumbar spinous processes in three pullout directions. A statistical analysis was performed on the experimental results to reveal relationships and variations between pullout direction and vertebral type. The finite element high fidelity computational analysis was performed to validate the experimental results. In the process, the material properties of cortical and trabecular bone were elucidated for calf spinous processes. Good comparisons are obtained. The high fidelity computational approach detailed here should serve useful in validation of experimental values from spine biomechanics experimental.