title: Biomechanical analysis of the anterior cervical fusion.
abstract: This paper presents a biomechanical analysis of the cervical C5-C6 functional spine unit before and after the anterior cervical discectomy and fusion. The aim of this work is to study the influence of the medical procedure and its instrumentation on range of motion and stress distribution. First, a three-dimensional finite element model of the lower cervical spine is obtained from computed tomography images using a pipeline of image processing, geometric modelling and mesh generation software. Then, a finite element study of parameters' influence on motion and a stress analysis at physiological and different post-operative scenarios were made for the basic movements of the cervical spine. It was confirmed that the results were very sensitive to intervertebral disc properties. The insertion of an anterior cervical plate influenced the stress distribution at the vertebral level as well as in the bone graft. Additionally, stress values in the graft decreased when it is used together with a cage.
authors.affiliation: IDMEC-Instituto Superior Técnico, Technical University of Lisbon, Avenida Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: J O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Folgado
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Levy Melancia
mesh_terms: D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena / Q000502:physiology; D001860:Bone Plates; D016025:Bone Transplantation; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D017586:Diskectomy; D020342:Finite Element Analysis; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D008959:Models, Neurological; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D013123:Spinal Fusion; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D016474:Weight-Bearing / Q000502:physiology