Abstract
Various types of complex biomechanical models have been published in the literature to better understand processes related to inflicted head injury by shaking trauma (IHI-ST) in infants. In this systematic review, a comprehensive overview of these models is provided. A systematic review was performed in MEDLINE and Scopus for articles using physical (e.g. dolls) and mathematical (e.g. computer simulations) biomechanical models for IHI-ST. After deduplication, the studies were independently screened by two researchers using PRISMA methodology and data extracted from the papers is represented in a “7-steps description”, addressing the different processes occurring during IHI-ST. Eleven papers on physical models and 23 papers on mathematical models were included after the selection process. In both categories, some models focus on describing gross head kinematics during IHI-ST events, while others address the behavior of internal head- and eye structures in various levels of detail. In virtually all physical and mathematical models analyzed, injury thresholds are derived from scaled non-infant data. Studies focusing on head kinematics often use injury thresholds derived from impact studies. It remains unclear to what extent these thresholds reflect the failure thresholds of infant biological material. Future research should therefore focus on investigating failure thresholds of infant biological material as well as on possible alternative injury mechanism and alternative injury criteria for IHI-ST.
Highlights
As described in part one of this review [1], inflicted head injury by shaking trauma in infants (IHI-ST) is a subject which has over the years given rise to much discussion in the scientific literature
While part one focuses on reviewing the literature on animal models for IHI-ST, in this paper a literature review is presented on mathematical and physical models that have been developed to understand IHI-ST
In physical modeling of IHI-ST, a mechanical model of an infant is constructed and subjected to events that are suspected to lead to IHI, such as violent shaking
Summary
As described in part one of this review [1], inflicted head injury by shaking trauma in infants (IHI-ST) is a subject which has over the years given rise to much discussion in the scientific literature. In physical modeling of IHI-ST, a mechanical model (like a doll) of an infant is constructed and subjected to events that are suspected to lead to IHI, such as violent shaking. These physical models, which may be either commercially available test-dolls or proprietary ones, are equipped with measuring devices collecting kinematic or dynamic data from the surrogate. Based on these data, conclusions are inferred concerning IHI-ST
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