Patient specific bone remodeling and finite element analysis of the lumbar spine

Abstract

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] The body of work outlined here relates generally to mechanical engineering research in the area of biomechanics. More specifically this work focuses on numerical evaluation of lumbar spine mechanics and bone reactions as they relate to patient specific computer models. Much of this work is accomplished through the use of finite element (FE) modeling. The work is driven by the desire of surgeons to answer biomechanical and physiological questions about patient response to treatment in a noninvasive way. This work is also motivated by the need of researchers to improve upon current solution techniques to the equations of bone remodeling. The objectives of this work are to develop patient specific finite element models of patient anatomy so that patient variation can be examined, adapt current bone remodeling algorithms to address the motivation of the current study, simulate bone remodeling that occurs in the facet joint post operative to spinal fusion surgery, and to evaluate vascularization effects on bone graft growth.