Biomechanical Study of Interaction between Spinal Segment and Malleable Fixation Device

Abstract

This doctoral thesis is focused on comparative stress strain analysis of a spinal segment with a malleable fixation device and a physiologic spinal segment. In its opening a research study from available sources is carried out. It covers the contemporary state of scientific studies in the given area, anatomy of individual components of the spine, material properties, ways and magnitudes of loadings and also the most common FE model used in similar problems solved. To create a model of geometry of a spinal segment CT scans of a spinal segment of a 38-year-old woman are used. Then they are subsequently used in the modeling software SolidWorks to create the model of geometry of two lumbar vertebras L4 - L5 and a malleable fixation device. Using the computational system ANSYS Workbench, the complete computational model of the spinal motional segment with a malleable fixation device is compiled, covering models of material, loading and bonds. On the basis of the computational solution of FEM models for different ways of loading, a stress-strain analysis is performed. To compare obtained results a detailed comparative analysis with the physiological spinal segment, the segment with the degenerated disc and the segment with applied "rigid" fixation device is carried out. Within the stress strain analysis of the spinal segment with malleable fixation device, an analysis of the magnitude of the strain intensity of spongious bone tissue around the implanted transpedicular screw, depending on the cord pretension of the malleable fixation device, is performed