Mechanical Therapeutic Effects in Osteoporotic L1-Vertebrae Evaluated by Nonlinear Patient-specific Finite Element Analysis

• TAWARA Daisuke

  Department of Mechanical and Systems Engineering, Ryukoku University Computational Cell Biomechanics Team, VCAD System Research Program, RIKEN

• SAKAMOTO Jiro

  School of Mechanical Engineering, College of Science and Engineering, Kanazawa University

• MURAKAMI Hideki

  Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Kanazawa University Hospital

• KAWAHARA Norio

  Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Kanazawa University Hospital

• ODA Juhachi

  School of Mechanical Engineering, College of Science and Engineering, Kanazawa University

• TOMITA Katsuro

  Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Kanazawa University Hospital

Abstract

Patient-specific nonlinear finite element analysis (FEA) is promising for evaluating the recovery of vertebral strength. Vertebral strength is closely related to inner vertebral stress distribution and is used to assess the fracture risk for individual osteoporotic patients during drug treatment. Moreover, stress distribution is affected by individual bone shape, bone density distribution and nonlinear behavior of the mechanical properties of bone. To investigate the effectiveness of FEA considering these factors for the evaluation of drug treatment effects, patient-specific nonlinear FEAs of the first lumbar vertebrae in patients undergoing a 3-year drug treatment were performed. Changes in fracture load and distribution of failure elements in the FE models at four time points (before therapy, and after 6 and 12 months and 3 years of therapy) were compared with those of average bone density. The FEAs demonstrated that failure elements decreased notably, and fracture load increased gradually by the 3-year time point, suggesting that the vertebrae were strengthened as a result of drug treatments. Furthermore, statistical tests indicated that mechanical evaluation using the nonlinear FEAs is more sensitive for evaluating drug effects on osteoporotic bone than assessments based on average bone density.

Journal

• Journal of Biomechanical Science and Engineering

  Journal of Biomechanical Science and Engineering 5 (5), 499-514, 2010

  The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers

Keywords

• Computational Biomechanics
• Bone Strength
• Patient-Specific Image-Based Modeling
• Vertebra
• Osteoporosis
• Therapeutic Effect

Details

• CRID: 1390282680238433408
• NII Article ID: 130000422533
• DOI: 10.1299/jbse.5.499
• ISSN: 18809863
• Web Site: http://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jbse/5/5/5_5_499/_pdf
• Text Lang: en
• Data Source:
  • JaLC
  • Crossref
  • CiNii Articles
  • KAKEN
• Abstract License Flag: Disallowed