On the importance of the forces and moments at the occipital condyles in predicting ligamentous cervical spine injuries

wbldb

Hasija, Vikas¹; Takhounts, Erik²; Lee, Ellen²; Craig, Matthew²

On the importance of the forces and moments at the occipital condyles in predicting ligamentous cervical spine injuries

Proceedings of the 2017 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Injury

Affiliations

¹Bowhead Logistics Solutions, LLC, USA

²National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Abstract and keywords

Severe loading experienced in automotive crashes can cause ligamentous neck injuries. The Anthropomorphic Test Devices measure neck injury metric (Nij) using force and moment at the upper neck load cell. Recent discussions have focused on the adequacy of just the axial force at occipital condyles (OC), without the knowledge of moment at OC, in predicting neck injuries. This study aims to elucidate this issue by conducting a parametric simulation study using Global Human Body Models Consortium (GHBMC) 50th percentile male model under impact conditions (sagittal motion only), and evaluating strains in the cervical spine ligaments. Neck injuries were also studied in frontal sled tests with PMHS (Post Mortem Human Subjects) and frontal crashes in CIREN (Crash Injury Research and Engineering Network) database to investigate the type of ligamentous injuries in automotive crashes. Simulation results showed that OC axial force correlated well with strain in most of the ligaments, however, for some ligaments strain correlated better with OC moment. Field data analysis showed that ligamentous injuries can encompass a range of ligaments, therefore it was not possible to isolate force alone as the best predictor. Thus, both the OC axial force and moment are necessary for predicting ligamentous neck injuries.

Keywords: Cervical spine, Finite Element, Human model, Ligamentous injuries, Parametric study
Links

URL: http://www.ircobi.org/wordpress/downloads/irc17/pdf-files/76.pdf

Cited Works (27)

Year	Entry
2009	Forman J, Lopez-Valdes F, Lessley D, Kindig M, Kent R, Ridella S, Bostrom O. Rear seat occupant safety: an investigation of a progressive force-limiting, pretensioning 3-point belt system using adult PMHS in frontal sled tests. Stapp Car Crash J. 2009;53:49-74. SAE 2009-22-0002.
1996	Yoganandan N, Pintar FA, Maiman DJ, Cusick JF, Sances A Jr, Walsh PR. Human head-neck biomechanics under axial tension. Med Eng Phys. June 1996;18(4):289-294.
2004	Brolin K, Halldin P. Development of a finite element model of the upper cervical spine and a parameter study of ligament characteristics. Spine. February 15, 2004;29(4):376-385.
2000	Eppinger R, Sun E, Kuppa S, Saul R. Supplement: Development of Improved Injury Criteria for the Assessment of Advanced Automotive Restraint Systems - II. Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA); March 2000.
2012	DeWit JA, Cronin DS. Cervical spine segment finite element model for traumatic injury prediction. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater. June 2012;10:138-150.
1992	Shea M, Wittenberg RH, Edwards WT, White AA III, Hayes WC. In vitro hyperextension injuries in the human cadaveric cervical spine. J Orthop Res. November 1992;10(6):911-916.
1989	Yoganandan N, Haffner M, Maiman DJ, Nichols H, Pintar FA, Jentzen J, Weinshel SS, Larson SJ, Sances A Jr. Epidemiology and injury biomechanics of motor vehicle related trauma to the human spine. In: Proceedings of the 33rd Stapp Car Crash Conference. October 4-6, 1989; Washington, DC. Warrendale, PA: Society of Automotive Engineers:223-242. SAE 892438.
1999	Eppinger R, Sun E, Bandak F, Haffner M, Khaewpong N, Maltese M, Kuppa S, Nguyen T, Takhounts E, Tannous R, Zhang A, Saul R. Development of Improved Injury Criteria for the Assessment of Advanced Automotive Restraint Systems - II. Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA); November 1999.
2004	Panjabi MM, Pearson AM, Ito S, Ivancic PC, Gimenez SE, Tominaga Y. Cervical spine ligament injury during simulated frontal impact. Spine. November 1, 2004;29(21):2395-2403.
1984	Prasad P, Daniel RP. A biomechanical analysis of head, neck, and torso injuries to child surrogates due to sudden torso acceleration. In: Proceedings of the 28th Stapp Car Crash Conference. November 6-7, 1984; Chicago, IL. Warrendale, PA: Society of Automotive Engineers:25-40. SAE 841656.
1980	Nyquist GW, Begman PC, King AI, Mertz HJ. Correlation of field injuries and GM Hybrid III dummy responses for lap-shoulder belt restraint. J Biomech Eng. May 1980;102(2):103-109.
1982	Lenox JB, Stalnaker RL, White CD, Moore GT, Anderson OM, Schleicher RR, Peel HH, Martin SS, Driscoll GD, Huntington HW, Carey KD, Haffner MP, Ommaya AK. Development of neck injury tolerance criteria in human surrogates, I: static tensile loading in the baboon neck: preliminary observations. In: Proceedings of the 9th International Technical Conference on Experimental Safety Vehicles (ESV). November 1-4, 1982; Kyoto, Japan.279-286.
2001	Teo EC, Ng HW. Evaluation of the role of ligaments, facets and disc nucleus in lower cervical spine under compression and sagittal moments using finite element method. Med Eng Phys. April 2001;23(3):155-164.
2012	Cronin DS, Fice JB, DeWit JA, Moulton J. Upper cervical spine kinematic response and injury prediction. In: Proceedings of the 2012 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Injury. September 12-14, 2012; Dublin, Ireland.225-234.
1999	Kumaresan S, Yoganandan N, Pintar FA. Finite element analysis of the cervical spine: a material property sensitivity study. Clin Biomech (Bristol, Avon). January 1999;12(1):41-53.
2001	Yoganandan N, Kumaresan S, Pintar FA. Biomechanics of the cervical spine, II: cervical spine soft tissue responses and biomechanical modeling. Clin Biomech (Bristol, Avon). January 2001;16(1):1-27.
2010	Lopez-Valdes FJ, Lau A, Lamp J, Riley P, Lessley DJ, Damon A, Kindig M, Kent R, Balasubramanian S, Seacrist T, Maltese MR, Arbogast KB, Higuchi K, Tanji H. Analysis of spinal motion and loads during frontal impacts: comparison between PMHS and ATD. In: 54th Annual Proceedings, Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine (AAAM). October 17-20, 2010; Las Vegas, NV.61-77.
2003	Fréchède B, Saillant G, Lavaste F, Skalli W. Relationship between cervical spine curvature and risk of injury in the case of sagittal impact: a finite element analysis. In: Proceedings of the 2003 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Impact. September 25, 2003; Lisbon, Portugal.355-356.
2012	Mattucci SFE, Moulton JA, Chandrashekar N, Cronin DS. Strain rate dependent properties of younger human cervical spine ligaments. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater. June 2012;10:216-226.
2011	Fice JB, Cronin DS, Panzer MB. Cervical spine model to predict capsular ligament response in rear impact. Ann Biomed Eng. August 2011;39(8):2152-2162.
2004	Ivancic PC, Pearson AM, Panjabi MM, Ito S. Injury of the anterior longitudinal ligament during whiplash simulation. Eur Spine J. 2004;13(1):61-68.
2011	Panzer MB, Fice JB, Cronin DS. Cervical spine response in frontal crash. Med Eng Phys. November 2011;33(9):1147-1159.
2012	Gayzik FS, Moreno DP, Vavalle NA, Rhyne AC, Stitzel JD. Development of a full human body finite element model for blunt injury prediction utilizing a multi-modality medical imaging protocol. In: 12th International LS-DYNA Users Conference. 2012; Detroit, MI.
1971	Mertz HJ, Patrick LM. Strength and response of the human neck. In: Proceedings of the 15th Stapp Car Crash Conference. November 17-19, 1971; Coronado, CA. Warrendale, PA: Society of Automotive Engineers:207-255. SAE 710855.
1990	White AA III, Panjabi MM. Clinical Biomechanics of the Spine. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: J.B. Lippincott Company; 1990.
1978	Mertz HJ, Hodgson VR, Thomas LM, Nyquist GW. An assessment of compressive neck loads under injury-producing conditions. Phys Sportsmed. December 1978;6(11):95-106.
1988	Dvorak J, Schneider E, Saldinger P, Rahn B. Biomechanics of the craniocervical region: the alar and transverse ligaments. J Orthop Res. May 1988;6(3):452-461.