Contact analysis of a posterior cervical spine plate using a three-dimensional canine finite element model

The development of a three-dimensional finite element model of a posteriorl y pla red canine cervical spine (C3-C6) including contact,nonlinearities is described. The model Mas created from axial CT scans and the material prop erties were derived from the literature. The model demonstrated sufficient accuracy from the results of a mesh convergence test. Significant steps wer e taken toward establishing model validation by comparison of plate surface strains with a posteriorly plated-canine cervical spine under three-point bending. This model was developed to better characterize the contact pressu res at the various interfaces under average physiologic canine lending. The analysis showed that the screw-plate interfaces had the highest values of all the mechanical parameters evaluated.