Biomechanical analysis of sandwich vertebrae in osteoporotic patients: finite element analysis

Shaolong Huang; Chengqiang Zhou; Xu Zhang; Zhongjian Tang; Liangyu Liu; Xiao Meng; Cheng Xue; Xianye Tang

doi:10.3389/fendo.2023.1259095

Biomechanical analysis of sandwich vertebrae in osteoporotic patients: finite element analysis

Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2023 Oct 11:14:1259095. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1259095. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Shaolong Huang^{1

2}, Chengqiang Zhou^{1

2}, Xu Zhang^{1

2}, Zhongjian Tang^{1

2}, Liangyu Liu³, Xiao Meng^{1

2}, Cheng Xue¹, Xianye Tang¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Orthopedics, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.
² Graduate School of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.
³ North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, Sichuan, China.

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the biomechanical stress of sandwich vertebrae (SVs) and common adjacent vertebrae in different degrees of spinal mobility in daily life.

Materials and methods: A finite element model of the spinal segment of T10-L2 was developed and validated. Simultaneously, T11 and L1 fractures were simulated, and a 6-ml bone cement was constructed in their center. Under the condition of applying a 500-N axial load to the upper surface of T10 and immobilizing the lower surface of L2, moments were applied to the upper surface of T10, T11, T12, L1, and L2 and divided into five groups: M-T10, M-T11, M-T12, M-L1, and M-L2. The maximum von Mises stress of T10, T12, and L2 in different groups was calculated and analyzed.

Results: The maximum von Mises stress of T10 in the M-T10 group was 30.68 MPa, 36.13 MPa, 34.27 MPa, 33.43 MPa, 26.86 MPa, and 27.70 MPa greater than the maximum stress value of T10 in the other groups in six directions of load flexion, extension, left and right lateral bending, and left and right rotation, respectively. The T12 stress value in the M-T12 group was 29.62 MPa, 32.63 MPa, 30.03 MPa, 31.25 MPa, 26.38 MPa, and 26.25 MPa greater than the T12 stress value in the other groups in six directions. The maximum stress of L2 in M-T12 in the M-L2 group was 25.48 MPa, 36.38 MPa, 31.99 MPa, 31.07 MPa, 30.36 MPa, and 32.07 MPa, which was greater than the stress value of L2 in the other groups. When the load is on which vertebral body, it is subjected to the greatest stress.

Conclusion: We found that SVs did not always experience the highest stress. The most stressed vertebrae vary with the degree of curvature of the spine. Patients should be encouraged to avoid the same spinal curvature posture for a long time in life and work or to wear a spinal brace for protection after surgery, which can avoid long-term overload on a specific spine and disrupt its blood supply, resulting in more severe loss of spinal quality and increasing the possibility of fractures.

Keywords: adjacent vertebral fracture; finite element analysis; osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture; percutaneous vertebroplasty; sandwich vertebra.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Biomechanical Phenomena
Finite Element Analysis
Fractures, Compression* / surgery
Humans
Spinal Fractures*
Spine

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. The work was supported by the Youth Research Project of Xuzhou Commission of Health (No.XWKYHT20220135).