Interbody devices are widely used to replace the degenerated discs of the spine. For this purpose, a novel methodology uses cement instead of conventional spacers, which is hypothesized to provide smoother transition of forces, lower risk of bone tissue damage, thus smaller subsidence, reduced risk of further pathological deformations and other complications. This new treatment approach has been compared with the conventional method experimentally by mechanical loading of human vertebral motion segments treated with either of these. The present study aimed at complementing the that work with finite element analysis and, by performing in silico mechanical testing of QCT-based case specific models incorporating the elasto-plastic behavior of bone, providing better understanding of experimental results, in particular, the differences between the two sample groups equipped with the different spacer types. This report presents the applied numerical methodology as well as the first results, which are in line with the experimental ones. Besides providing deeper insight into the experimental outcomes, these models are expected to provide a basis for virtual parameter analysis studies, which may help to optimize the surgical procedure.

DOI: 10.17489/biohun/2013/1/20