Effect of fiber volume and material property and nucleus pulposus area on intervertebral disc mechanical behavior_Journal of Biomedical Engineering

Authors：

 DONG Ruichun ¹ , LIU Zhong ² , GUO Yunqiang ¹ , AN Yukun ¹ , SHI Zhou ¹ , SHI Ming ²

1. School of Mechanical Engineering, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, Shandong 255000, P. R. China;
2. Spinal Surgery and Oncology Department, Zibo Central Hospital, Zibo, Shandong 255000, P. R. China;

Corresponding author：

DONG Ruichun, Email: dongrcn@163.com

Keywords：

Intervertebral disc; Mechanical behavior; Fiber volume; Nucleus pulposus area

DOI：

10.7507/1001-5515.202305001

Video：

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The material properties and volume proportion of the fibers as well as the cross-sectional area proportion of nucleus pulposus vary greatly in different studies. The effect of these factors on the mechanical behavior of intervertebral discs (IVDs) are uncertain. The IVDs finite element models with different parameters were created to investigate the pressure, height, rotation, stress, and strain of the IVDs under loads: pure compression, rotation after compression or axial moment after compression. The results showed that the material properties of fibers had great impact on the mechanical behavior of IVDs, especially on the rotation angle. When the fiber volume ratio was small, its changes had a significant impact on the rotation angle of the IVDs. The area proportions of nucleus pulposus had relatively little effect on the mechanical behavior of IVDs. The IVDs rotation should be observed when validating the model. By adjusting the elastic modulus or volume ratio of fibers within a reasonable range, a model that could simulate the mechanical behavior of normal IVDs could be obtained. It was reasonable to make the area proportion of nucleus pulposus within 25%–50% for the IVDs finite element model. This study provides guidance and reference for finite element modeling of the IVDs and the investigation of the IVDs degeneration mechanism.

Citation： DONG Ruichun, LIU Zhong, GUO Yunqiang, AN Yukun, SHI Zhou, SHI Ming. Effect of fiber volume and material property and nucleus pulposus area on intervertebral disc mechanical behavior. Journal of Biomedical Engineering, 2024, 41(1): 144-151. doi: 10.7507/1001-5515.202305001 Copy

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2.	Skaggs D L, Weidenbaum M, Iatridis J C, et al. Regional variation in tensile properties and biochemical composition of the human lumbar anulus fibrosus. Spine, 1994, 19(12): 1310-1319.
3.	Newell N, Grigoriadis G, Christou A, et al. Material properties of bovine intervertebral discs across strain rates. J Mech Behav Biomed, 2017, 65: 824-830.
4.	Pezowicz C A, Robertson P A, Broom N D. Intralamellar relationships within the collagenous architecture of the annulus fibrosus imaged in its fully hydrated state. J Anat, 2005, 207(4): 299-312.
5.	Little J P, Adam C J. Geometric sensitivity of patient-specific finite element models of the spine to variability in user-selected anatomical landmarks. Comput Method Biomec, 2013, 18(6): 676-688.
6.	Little J P, de Visser H, Pearcy M J, et al. Are coupled rotations in the lumbar spine largely due to the osseo-ligamentous anatomy?--a modeling study. Comput Method Biomec, 2008, 11(1): 95-103.
7.	Adam C, Rouch P, Skalli W. Inter-lamellar shear resistance confers compressive stiffness in the intervertebral disc: An image-based modelling study on the bovine caudal disc. J Biomech, 2015, 48(16): 4303-4308.
8.	Chen C S, Cheng C K, Liu C L, et al. Stress analysis of the disc adjacent to interbody fusion in lumbar spine. Med Eng Phys, 2001, 23(7): 485-493.
9.	Schmidt H, Heuer F, Simon U, et al. Application of a new calibration method for a three-dimensional finite element model of a human lumbar annulus fibrosus. Clin Biomech, 2006, 21(4): 337-344.
10.	Shirazi-Adl A, Ahmed A M, Shrivastava S C. A finite element study of a lumbar motion segment subjected to pure sagittal plane moments. J Biomech, 1986, 19(4): 331-350.
11.	Yang B, O’Connell G D. Effect of collagen fibre orientation on intervertebral disc torsion mechanics. Biomech Model Mechan, 2017, 16(6): 2005-2015.
12.	Park W M, Kim K, Kim Y H. Effects of degenerated intervertebral discs on intersegmental rotations, intradiscal pressures, and facet joint forces of the whole lumbar spine. Comput Biol Med, 2013, 43(9): 1234-1240.
13.	Schmidt H, Rohlmann A, Zander T, et al. Effect of multilevel lumbar disc arthroplasty on spine kinematics and facet joint loads in flexion and extension: a finite element analysis. Eur Spine J, 2012, 21(5): 663-674.
14.	Kiapour A, Anderson D G, Spenciner D B, et al. Kinematic effects of a pedicle-lengthening osteotomy for the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis. J Neurosurg-Spine, 2012, 17(4): 314-320.
15.	Ayturk U M, Puttlitz C M. Parametric convergence sensitivity and validation of a finite element model of the human lumbar spine. Comput Method Biomec, 2011, 14(8): 695-705.
16.	Shirazi-Adl A. Analysis of role of bone compliance on mechanics of a lumbar motion segment. J Biomech Eng, 1994, 116(4): 408-412.
17.	Marini G, Studer H, Huber G, et al. Geometrical aspects of patient-specific modelling of the intervertebral disc: collagen fibre orientation and residual stress distribution. Biomech Model Mechan, 2016, 15(3): 543-560.
18.	Yang B, Lu Y, Um C, et al. Relative nucleus pulposus area and position alter disk joint mechanics. J Biomech Eng, 2019, 141(5): 051004.
19.	Zander T, Rohlmann A, Bergmann G. Influence of different artificial disc kinematics on spine biomechanics. Clin Biomech, 2009, 24(2): 135-142.
20.	Li Q Y, Kim H J, Son J, et al. Biomechanical analysis of lumbar decompression surgery in relation to degenerative changes in the lumbar spine - Validated finite element analysis. Comput Biol Med, 2017, 89: 512-519.
21.	Ambati D V, Wright E K, Lehman R A, et al. Bilateral pedicle screw fixation provides superior biomechanical stability in transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion: a finite element study. Spine J, 2015, 15(8): 1812-1822.
22.	Szkoda-Poliszuk K, Żak M, Pezowicz C. Finite element analysis of the influence of three-joint spinal complex on the change of the intervertebral disc bulge and height. Int J Numer Method Biomed Eng, 2018, 34(9): e3107.1-e3107.13.
23.	Ueno K, Liu Y K. A three-dimensional nonlinear finite element model of lumbar intervertebral joint in torsion. J Biomech Eng, 1987, 109(3): 200-209.
24.	Anne P, Ferguson S J, Nolte L P, et al. Factors influencing stresses in the lumbar spine after the insertion of intervertebral cages: finite element analysis. Eur Spine J, 2003, 12(4): 413-420.
25.	Dong R-C, Guo L-X. Human body modeling method to simulate the biodynamic characteristics of spine in vivo with different sitting postures. Int J Numer Meth Bio, 2017, 33(11): e2876.1-e2876.15.
26.	O’Connell G D, Johannessen W, Vresilovic E J, et al. Human internal disc strains in axial compression measured noninvasively using magnetic resonance imaging. Spine, 2007, 32(25): 2860-2868.
27.	Dreischarf M, Zander T, Shirazi-Adl A, et al. Comparison of eight published static finite element models of the intact lumbar spine: Predictive power of models improves when combined together. J Biomech, 2014, 47(8): 1757-1766.
28.	Beckstein J C, Sounok S, Schaer T P, et al. Comparison of animal discs used in disc research to human lumbar disc: axial compression mechanics and glycosaminoglycan content. Spine, 2008, 33(6): E166-E173.
29.	Pearcy M, Portek I, Shepherd J. Three-dimensional Xray analysis of normal movement in the lumbar spine. Spine, 1984, 9(3): 294-297.
30.	Akiah M A, Tanaka M. Biomechanical investigation on the influence of the regional material degeneration of an intervertebral disc in a lower lumbar spinal unit: A finite element study. Comput Biol Med, 2018, 98: 26-38.
31.	Farfan H F, Cossette J W, Robertson G H, et al. The effects of torsion on the lumbar intervertebral joints: the role of torsion in the production of disc degeneration. J Bone Joint Surg Am Volume, 1970, 52(3): 468-497.
32.	Shirazi-Adl A, Ahmed A M, Shrivastava S C. Mechanical response of a lumbar motion segment in axial torque alone and combined with compression. Spine, 1986, 11(9): 914-927.
33.	Kemper A R, McNally C, Duma S M. The influence of strain rate on the compressive stiffness properties of human lumbar intervertebral discs. Biomed Sci Instrum, 2007, 43: 176-181.
34.	Newell N, Carpanen D, Evans J H, et al. Mechanical function of the nucleus pulposus of the intervertebral disc under high rates of loading. Spine, 2019, 44(15): 1035-1041.
35.	Zander T, Dreischarf M, Timm A-K, et al. Impact of material and morphological parameters on the mechanical response of the lumbar spine – A finite element sensitivity study. J Biomech, 2017, 53: 185-190.

1. Holzapfel G A, Schulze-Bauer C A J, Feigl G, et al. Single lamellar mechanics of the human lumbar anulus fibrosus. Biomech Model Mechan, 2005, 3(3): 125-140.
2. Skaggs D L, Weidenbaum M, Iatridis J C, et al. Regional variation in tensile properties and biochemical composition of the human lumbar anulus fibrosus. Spine, 1994, 19(12): 1310-1319.
3. Newell N, Grigoriadis G, Christou A, et al. Material properties of bovine intervertebral discs across strain rates. J Mech Behav Biomed, 2017, 65: 824-830.
4. Pezowicz C A, Robertson P A, Broom N D. Intralamellar relationships within the collagenous architecture of the annulus fibrosus imaged in its fully hydrated state. J Anat, 2005, 207(4): 299-312.
5. Little J P, Adam C J. Geometric sensitivity of patient-specific finite element models of the spine to variability in user-selected anatomical landmarks. Comput Method Biomec, 2013, 18(6): 676-688.
6. Little J P, de Visser H, Pearcy M J, et al. Are coupled rotations in the lumbar spine largely due to the osseo-ligamentous anatomy?--a modeling study. Comput Method Biomec, 2008, 11(1): 95-103.
7. Adam C, Rouch P, Skalli W. Inter-lamellar shear resistance confers compressive stiffness in the intervertebral disc: An image-based modelling study on the bovine caudal disc. J Biomech, 2015, 48(16): 4303-4308.
8. Chen C S, Cheng C K, Liu C L, et al. Stress analysis of the disc adjacent to interbody fusion in lumbar spine. Med Eng Phys, 2001, 23(7): 485-493.
9. Schmidt H, Heuer F, Simon U, et al. Application of a new calibration method for a three-dimensional finite element model of a human lumbar annulus fibrosus. Clin Biomech, 2006, 21(4): 337-344.
10. Shirazi-Adl A, Ahmed A M, Shrivastava S C. A finite element study of a lumbar motion segment subjected to pure sagittal plane moments. J Biomech, 1986, 19(4): 331-350.
11. Yang B, O’Connell G D. Effect of collagen fibre orientation on intervertebral disc torsion mechanics. Biomech Model Mechan, 2017, 16(6): 2005-2015.
12. Park W M, Kim K, Kim Y H. Effects of degenerated intervertebral discs on intersegmental rotations, intradiscal pressures, and facet joint forces of the whole lumbar spine. Comput Biol Med, 2013, 43(9): 1234-1240.
13. Schmidt H, Rohlmann A, Zander T, et al. Effect of multilevel lumbar disc arthroplasty on spine kinematics and facet joint loads in flexion and extension: a finite element analysis. Eur Spine J, 2012, 21(5): 663-674.
14. Kiapour A, Anderson D G, Spenciner D B, et al. Kinematic effects of a pedicle-lengthening osteotomy for the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis. J Neurosurg-Spine, 2012, 17(4): 314-320.
15. Ayturk U M, Puttlitz C M. Parametric convergence sensitivity and validation of a finite element model of the human lumbar spine. Comput Method Biomec, 2011, 14(8): 695-705.
16. Shirazi-Adl A. Analysis of role of bone compliance on mechanics of a lumbar motion segment. J Biomech Eng, 1994, 116(4): 408-412.
17. Marini G, Studer H, Huber G, et al. Geometrical aspects of patient-specific modelling of the intervertebral disc: collagen fibre orientation and residual stress distribution. Biomech Model Mechan, 2016, 15(3): 543-560.
18. Yang B, Lu Y, Um C, et al. Relative nucleus pulposus area and position alter disk joint mechanics. J Biomech Eng, 2019, 141(5): 051004.
19. Zander T, Rohlmann A, Bergmann G. Influence of different artificial disc kinematics on spine biomechanics. Clin Biomech, 2009, 24(2): 135-142.
20. Li Q Y, Kim H J, Son J, et al. Biomechanical analysis of lumbar decompression surgery in relation to degenerative changes in the lumbar spine - Validated finite element analysis. Comput Biol Med, 2017, 89: 512-519.
21. Ambati D V, Wright E K, Lehman R A, et al. Bilateral pedicle screw fixation provides superior biomechanical stability in transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion: a finite element study. Spine J, 2015, 15(8): 1812-1822.
22. Szkoda-Poliszuk K, Żak M, Pezowicz C. Finite element analysis of the influence of three-joint spinal complex on the change of the intervertebral disc bulge and height. Int J Numer Method Biomed Eng, 2018, 34(9): e3107.1-e3107.13.
23. Ueno K, Liu Y K. A three-dimensional nonlinear finite element model of lumbar intervertebral joint in torsion. J Biomech Eng, 1987, 109(3): 200-209.
24. Anne P, Ferguson S J, Nolte L P, et al. Factors influencing stresses in the lumbar spine after the insertion of intervertebral cages: finite element analysis. Eur Spine J, 2003, 12(4): 413-420.
25. Dong R-C, Guo L-X. Human body modeling method to simulate the biodynamic characteristics of spine in vivo with different sitting postures. Int J Numer Meth Bio, 2017, 33(11): e2876.1-e2876.15.
26. O’Connell G D, Johannessen W, Vresilovic E J, et al. Human internal disc strains in axial compression measured noninvasively using magnetic resonance imaging. Spine, 2007, 32(25): 2860-2868.
27. Dreischarf M, Zander T, Shirazi-Adl A, et al. Comparison of eight published static finite element models of the intact lumbar spine: Predictive power of models improves when combined together. J Biomech, 2014, 47(8): 1757-1766.
28. Beckstein J C, Sounok S, Schaer T P, et al. Comparison of animal discs used in disc research to human lumbar disc: axial compression mechanics and glycosaminoglycan content. Spine, 2008, 33(6): E166-E173.
29. Pearcy M, Portek I, Shepherd J. Three-dimensional Xray analysis of normal movement in the lumbar spine. Spine, 1984, 9(3): 294-297.
30. Akiah M A, Tanaka M. Biomechanical investigation on the influence of the regional material degeneration of an intervertebral disc in a lower lumbar spinal unit: A finite element study. Comput Biol Med, 2018, 98: 26-38.
31. Farfan H F, Cossette J W, Robertson G H, et al. The effects of torsion on the lumbar intervertebral joints: the role of torsion in the production of disc degeneration. J Bone Joint Surg Am Volume, 1970, 52(3): 468-497.
32. Shirazi-Adl A, Ahmed A M, Shrivastava S C. Mechanical response of a lumbar motion segment in axial torque alone and combined with compression. Spine, 1986, 11(9): 914-927.
33. Kemper A R, McNally C, Duma S M. The influence of strain rate on the compressive stiffness properties of human lumbar intervertebral discs. Biomed Sci Instrum, 2007, 43: 176-181.
34. Newell N, Carpanen D, Evans J H, et al. Mechanical function of the nucleus pulposus of the intervertebral disc under high rates of loading. Spine, 2019, 44(15): 1035-1041.
35. Zander T, Dreischarf M, Timm A-K, et al. Impact of material and morphological parameters on the mechanical response of the lumbar spine – A finite element sensitivity study. J Biomech, 2017, 53: 185-190.

Journal of Biomedical Engineering

Effect of fiber volume and material property and nucleus pulposus area on intervertebral disc mechanical behavior

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