Development of a biomechanical model of the cervical spine

The cervical spine poses a high risk of paralysis when injured. Recently surgeons have begun using cervical total disc replacements (CTDR) to preserve motion when reconstructing the cervical spine. This researched focused on the construction of a 3D geometrical reconstruction of the full cervical spine for preclinical evaluation of cervical implants. The computational model was checked both visually and by measurements to confirm the correct vertebrae geometry and size. Next steps include the addition of anatomical structures and a FEA analysis of the model.