Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2019, Vol. 23 ›› Issue (32): 5181-5187.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.2095-4344.1453

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Establishment of finite element dynamic simulation models of cervical spine facet joint in a 8-year-old child

Feng Huimei1, 2, Liu Lu1, Zhang Shaojie1, Ma Yuan3, Wang Xing1, 3, Li Zhijun1, 3
  

  1. 1Department of Anatomy, Basic Medical College of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot 010059, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China; 2Graduate School of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot 010059, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China; 3Digital Medical Center of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot 010059, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
  • Online:2019-11-18 Published:2019-11-18
  • Contact: Li Zhijun, Professor, Doctoral supervisor, Department of Anatomy, Basic Medical College of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot 010059, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China; Digital Medical Center of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot 010059, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China Wang Xing, MD, Department of Anatomy, Basic Medical College of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot 010059, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China; Digital Medical Center of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot 010059, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
  • About author:Feng Huimei, Master, Department of Anatomy, Basic Medical College of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot 010059, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China; Graduate School of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot 010059, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China Liu Lu, Master, Department of Anatomy, Basic Medical College of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot 010059, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China Feng Huimei and Liu Lu contributed equally to this paper.
  • Supported by:

    the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 81260269, 81560348, 81860383 (to LZJ)| the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 81660358 (to ZSJ)| the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 81860382 (to WX)

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Abstract:

BACKGROUND: School-age children are not equal proportion of “small adults”. Their cervical vertebra morphological development, physiological characteristics and mechanical changes are not proportional to adult shrinking; all have their own characteristics and rules. The facet joints of the cervical vertebrae (hereinafter referred to as “cervical facets”) bear the load of flexion, extension, compression, pull, shear and torsion within a certain range of cervical vertebrae. This structure is characterized by the movement of the cervical spine. It plays an important role in maintaining the stability of cervical spine and normal physiological activity.
OBJECTIVE: A dynamic finite element model of the whole cervical vertebra (including intervertebral disc, cartilage and ligament) was established in an 8-year-old child. The load and stress distribution of C2-7 facet joints were analyzed under six dynamic conditions and between different vertebrae. This study aims to investigate the contribution of dynamic stress on cervical spine movement, to predict the risk of cervical spine injury under different motion conditions, and to predict the correlation between the position and the stress characteristics of the joint process, and to explore the finite element mechanics of cervical vertebra in the child.  
METHODS: A fresh 8-year-old boy cervical spine specimen fixed by formalin (no obvious trauma deformity, provided by the Body Donation Room of Anatomy Volunteers of Inner Mongolia Medical University), weighing 30 kg, was selected. The whole cervical spine was scanned with 64-slice CT high-resolution, and the images of 0.625 mm slice thickness were imported into Mimics 16.0 software in DICOM format to establish, optimize and mesh the 3D models of the whole cervical vertebrae, intervertebral discs and ligaments. The Mimics software saved the generated inp format file to import into the Abaqus software. Materials assigned to finite element models of different anatomical structures of cervical vertebrae by reference to literature analysis Attributes were loaded under six dynamic conditions (the ligaments were simulated with the Truss unit in Abaqus), and the stress profiles of C2-7 joints were analyzed.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: This study effectively established the dynamic finite element model of simulation, which had important practical significance for guiding the neck development and health care, physiological activities, medical diagnosis and treatment and sports rehabilitation of school-age children. The dynamic stress model of the cervical vertebrae process in the child was established by simulation. There was significant difference in the distribution of 75% Mises stress between left and right articular processes, including anterior flexion, extension, and left rotation. The stress value of the left and right articular process was not statistically significant, and the contribution of the stress to the whole cervical vertebrae was different among different intervertebral sequences (different states of the upper and lower articular process, the same ventral articular process, regional difference between the left and the right).

Key words: dynamic simulation finite element, cervical spine, articular facet joint, intervertebral disc, spinal ligament, children

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