Biomechanical analysis of degenerative intervertebral disc enlargement of human spine

Abstract

This paper uses the MC surface rendering method to extract the three-dimensional CT images of the lumbar spine. An integrated model of L4-L5 lumbar spine of normal youth was constructed, including anterior ligament, posterior ligament, ligamentum flavum, supraspinous ligament, interspinous ligament, annulus fibrosus, nucleus pulposus and other main human spine attached soft tissues. An integrated model of different stages of degenerative disk enlargement lesions (including mild enlargement lesions, moderate enlargement lesions, severe enlargement lesions, etc.) and other finite element mechanical model was constructed; model meshing and parameterized setting of the corresponding material properties of each component was carried out; finally, the loads and boundary conditions in different directions were defined to simulate the stress and deformation under different working conditions of degenerative disk enlargement model at normal youth and different stages. By comparing the stress, deformation and other mechanical test data, the biomechanical characteristics of the lesion model was analyzed according to the relevant mechanical model parameters and evaluation system, so as to verify the correctness and effectiveness of the constructed model, and then to provide accurate mechanical model reference for disease feature recognition, reliability of diagnosis and safety during surgery.

Keywords:

• Degeneration
• intervertebral disk enlargement
• three-dimensional model
• biomechanical analysis
• lesion

Additional information

Funding

This project is supported by the the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province under Grant No. 2016A030307050, the Special Foundation of Public Research of Guangdong Province under Grant No. 2016A020225008, No.2017A040405062.