[The finite element study on zygomatic injury by impact in child].
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to establish the constructive of craniofacial suture in the three-dimensional finite element model of craniofacial complex in child, to analyse the response procedure of the zygomatic impact, to explore the biomechanics characteristic of the children craniofacial trauma.


METHODS
A 7-year-old female was adopted for study The complex cranial geometry was measured from a series of two-dimensional CT images. The multi-lay spiral CT scans were transformed with a self-developed preprocessor into a finite element mesh. The craniofacial sutures were constructed through the MSC Patran program. Identical impact and boundary conditions were used for the zygomatic impact simulations.


RESULTS
It has been shown that the finite element model (FEM) exhibited fine morphological and mechanical comparability. The higher stress was showed in the zygomatic regions and atlas occipital articular in 3d FEM. The maximum von Mises stress was found at the zygomatic regions and atlas occipital articular.


CONCLUSIONS
The concentrations of shear stress and tension stress in the suture and articular would increase the risk of injury in this area. But the conduction of the stress might be weakening in the suture of child skull.
Zhang
Hai-zhong
HZ
Department of Oral Maxillo-facial Surgery. PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China.
Hou
Min
M
Bai
Shao-peng
SP
Ma
Chun-sheng
CS
Liu
Chun-ming
CM
Bu
Rong-fa
RF
D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002648:Child; D003288:Contusions / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D020342:Finite Element Analysis; D006801:Humans; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed; D015050:Zygoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries*; D015051:Zygomatic Fractures / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*