The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficiency of Finite Element Method (FEM) modelling of the clinical cases of traumatic cervical spinal cord injury (SCI). The study population consisted of 28 patients suffering from traumatic cervical spine injury with (study group) and without (control) neurological deficits. A numerical simulation of the trauma event was performed, based on validated 3D FEM model. All the results obtained underwent statistical analysis. Statistically significant differences between both groups were found in severity of bony and neural structure damage as well as in stress and strain ratios. The highest values of tensile stress and deformation were noted in the sagittal (Y) axis. The maximum stress and strain were found in anterior spinothalamic, lateral spinothalamic and dorsal columns. It was also found that stress and strain in each segment and axis of the spinal cord model were positively correlated with the severity of the cervical spine injury (R-Spearman 0.39 to 0.64) and neurological symptoms of SCI (R-Spearman: 0.43 to 0.82). It is possible to create a clinical numerical model of the SCI with the use of FEM. The correlations between the mechanical force and neurological deficits show tendencies which require further studies based on an improved model and a greater number of patients.
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The influence of mechanical load on the extent of nervous tissue damage in the spinal cord at the time of trauma is presently incontestable. Although numerical modelling cannot fully replace physical testing, it seems to be the perfect complement to experiments in terms of the analysis of such a complex phenomenon as traumatic spinal cord injury. Previous numerical models of the human cervical spinal cord have been limited by several factors: two-dimensional modelling, spinal cord geometry simplification and incomplete reflection of specific anatomical and biomechanical relations of the objects being modelled. The objective of this study was to develop and validate an accurate and universal numerical Finite Element Method (FEM) model of the human cervical spinal cord. Our survey focuses mainly on geometric, constraint and material aspects. Experimental validation was carried out based on a controlled compression of the porcine spinal cord specimens. Each stage of compression was simulated using the FEM model of the compressed segment. Our 3D numerical simulation results compared with experimental results show a good agreement. It is possible to use the developed numerical model of the human cervical spinal cord in the biomechanical analysis of the spinal cord injury phenomenon. However, further clinical evaluation is clearly justified.
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