BIOMECHANICS OF CERVICAL SPINE WHIPLASH INJURIES

颈椎损伤多为软组织损伤， 不是脊椎骨折。有软组织的事故受害者 众所周知，受伤后许多年都会有残余疼痛。 那次事故。拟议研究的总体目标是 更好地了解这些损伤的机制 对颈椎造成的突然加速/减速 头部相对于躯干，即所谓的鞭打 受伤。 现有的研究使用了整具身体， 人体测量假人和数学模型来模拟 造成伤害的事件。创伤事件是从外部研究的 而不是在颈椎受伤的地方。这个 提议的研究的独特性在于它能够直接 研究创伤过程中的损伤部位。新鲜身体 将使用标本(枕骨至T1)。标本是 配有模拟头盔。这种创伤是在一个 特别建造的装置，底座上的加速度 标本的T1椎骨被模拟为类似于 记录在现实生活中的追尾车祸。X光照片是 进行了多方向的不稳定性测量 在创伤之前和之后。创伤被记录在案 通过测量试件底部的载荷，加速度 头盔的位置，椎骨的运动，以及 韧带、肌肉和动脉。在创伤之后， 标本经过仔细解剖，并对各种软组织进行损伤 组织和骨骼被量化。研究在以下情况下进行 头部在正中矢状面，当头部旋转时， 偏向于模拟更复杂的现实生活情景。 将在输入加速度之间建立关联 和几个输出指标：量化伤害、多方向 不稳定性和射线照相测量。 这项研究的意义在于更好地理解 鞭打损伤的机制，特别是在以下方面： 通过设计最佳的汽车座椅来预防这些伤害 和运动器材.通过显影诊断损伤 对记录软组织更敏感的放射检查 组织损伤；通过更好地评估 颈椎的解剖损伤和多向不稳定 颈椎。

Most injuries of the cervical spine are soft tissue injuries, and not vertebral fractures. The accident victims with soft tissue injuries have been known to have residual pain for many years after the accident. The overall objective of the proposed research is to provide a better understanding of the mechanisms of these injuries to the cervical spine caused by sudden acceleration/deceleration of the head with respect to the trunk, the so called whiplash injuries. The available research studies have used whole cadavers, anthropometric dummies, and mathematical models to simulate the injury-causing events. The traumatic event is studied from outside and not at the site of injury in the cervical spine. The uniqueness of the proposed research lies in its ability to directly study the site of injury during the trauma. Fresh cadaveric specimens (occiput to T1) will be utilized. The specimen is provided with a simulated headpiece. The trauma is produced in a specially constructed apparatus where the acceleration at the base of the specimen, the T1 vertebra, is simulated to be similar to that documented in real life rear-end car crashes. Radiographs are taken and multidirectional instability measurements are conducted before the trauma and immediately after. The trauma is documented by measuring the loads at the base of the specimen, accelerations of the headpiece, movements of the vertebrae, and deformations of the ligaments, muscles, and arteries. After the trauma, the specimen is carefully dissected, and injuries to the various soft tissues and bone are quantified. Studies are conducted when the head is in the midsagittal plane and when the head is rotated and side-bent to simulate the more complex real life situations. Correlations will be established between the input accelerations and several output measures: quantified injuries, multidirectional instabilities, and radiographic measurements. The significance of the research lies in a better understanding of the mechanisms of whiplash injuries and, specifically, in the: prevention of these injuries by designing optimal automotive seats and sports equipment; diagnosis of the injuries by developing radiographic tests that are more sensitive to documenting the soft tissue injuries; and, treatment by better assessment of the anatomic injuries and multidirectional instabilities of the cervical spine.