Mechanical coupling effects into a L 3–L 5 vertebral segment

Abstract

In the surgery of the adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), it has been shown that arthrodesis was increasing the intervertebral disc volume of discs below spine fusion post-operatively. Another consequence was the variation of hydration of disc remained free. The surgery induced a redistribution of strain energy but it is challenging to identify the mechanical loadings in-vivo. We hypothesized that the direct simulation of a vertebral segment under compression, bending and shear supported the analysis of mechanical transfers in-vivo.