Thoracic impact testing of pediatric cadaveric subjects.
BACKGROUND
This study aimed to describe the injury mechanism of children's thorax in frontal impact and provide an injury threshold.


METHODS
Nine unembalmed cadavers were divided into two groups. A young cohort aged 2 to 4 years (four cadavers) was impacted by a 2.5-kg mass impactor, whereas the older cohort, aged 5-12 years (five cadavers), was impacted by a 3.5-kg mass impactor.


RESULTS
The mean values of peak sternal viscous criterion and accelerations for the older group and younger group were 1.35 +/- 0.62 m/s, 81.5 +/- 29.2 g and 2.05 +/- 0.5 m/s, 65 +/- 20.1 g, respectively. The maximum forces in the older group (1138 +/- 271.7 N) were significantly higher than those in younger group (776.3 +/- 39 N). In seven specimens, injuries after the impact were found.


CONCLUSIONS
The full set of cadaveric injuries did not correlate with peak chest deformation, sternal viscous criterion, or peak fourth thoracic vertebra acceleration. However, cadaver thoracic injury showed a strong dependence on dissipated energy to peak deformation.
Ouyang
Jun
J
Department of Anatomy, Southern Medical University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Biomechanics, Guangzhou, China. jouyang@fimmu.com
Zhao
Weidong
W
Xu
Yongqing
Y
Chen
Weisheng
W
Zhong
Shizhen
S
D000054:Acceleration; D000367:Age Factors; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002102:Cadaver; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*