Mechanical and Physiological Response of the Human Cervical Vertebral Column to Severe Impacts Applied to the Torso.

摘要

In experiments with human cadavers, severe frontal and rear-end automobile collisions were simulated on an acceleration sled. A wide range of angles of rotation between head and torso resulted from the impacts. The magnitude of the torque exerted at the cervical spine was estimated using the mass moments and lever arms. Autopsies after the experiments indicated certain types of injuries to the intervertebral disks and the ligaments caused by torque, axial forces and shear forces. Obviously, preexperimental damages to the column by spondylitis and/or athrosis deformans are important parameters for the impact trauma. (Author)