Coup-contrecoup brain injury: fluid-structure interaction simulations

摘要

The brain can be severely injured even without the skull being fractured by the impact to the head. For example, when the head is stationary and struck by a moving object the brain shifts inside the skull which results in injuries at point of impact and opposite the side of impact, i.e. coup and contrecoup injuries, respectively. This article presents the results of three-dimensional computational fluid- structure interaction simulations of a frontal impact to the head using a comprehensive finite-element model of the head. The cerebrospinal fluid flow inside the head surrounding the brain is modelled using smoothed-particle hydrodynamics. For the first time, the cerebrospinal fluid is modelled using a fluid domain. The numerical method is validated against known cadaveric experiments by comparing the coup and contrecoup pressure responses. The results of the fluid-structure interaction analysis are compared with those from structural only analysis. It is demonstrated that the impact to the frontal lobe has the potential to cause injuries on both sides of the brain and brain stem. Additional high stress values are also found on the parietal lobe. The use of fluid-structure interaction analysis provides additional information and is more realistic.