Spine Finite-Element Package

Build and compare spine scenarios fast with a bundle of three ready-to-run models. You get a healthy cervical baseline, a cervical model with an interbody cage, and a lumbar corpectomy model with a mesh cage—each set up for Abaqus/Standard with clean file organization.

These three finite-element spine models—(1) healthy cervical C3–C7, (2) cervical with interbody cage, and (3) lumbar corpectomy with mesh cage—form a compact toolkit for understanding how implants change spinal mechanics. FEM lets us noninvasively predict segmental range of motion (ROM), intradiscal pressure (IDP), and stress/strain and contact forces in discs, facets, endplates, and the implant–bone interface under standardized pure-moment and compressive loads. With the paired cervical models you can make controlled, apples-to-apples comparisons—quantify motion restoration vs. restriction, assess load sharing through the cage, estimate subsidence risk, and explore adjacent-level effects or stiffness tuning. The lumbar mesh-cage case extends the analysis to reconstructive scenarios (e.g., tumor/trauma), helping evaluate construct stability and potential stress shielding. Shared file formats and organization (Abaqus .inp, CATIA/STEP, HyperMesh where provided) make the set ideal for R&D, education, and pre-op planning, reducing dependence on cadaver tests and enabling fast sensitivity studies and patient-specific personalization—all from a reproducible, validated baseline.

Why this package

Start running in minutes: Preconfigured steps, loads/BCs, and outputs (ROM, IDP, reactions).

Apples-to-apples comparisons: Healthy vs. instrumented cervical, plus a lumbar corpectomy case.

Edit the geometry when you need to: CAD sources are included where noted (CATIA, STEP) for easy customization.

Education + R&D ready: Ideal for teaching, baseline studies, implant concept screening, and sensitivity analyses.

What’s inside (downloads & formats)

1) Healthy Cervical Spine (C3–C7) — no cage

Abaqus: HealthyCervical.inp (flexion, extension, lateral bending, axial rotation; follower/axial load; C7 fixed)

CAD: CATIA V5 .CATPart / .CATProduct (edit-ready)

Neutral 3D: STEP/IGES (exchange) + STL/OBJ (viz/printing)

Outputs: Segmental ROM (C3–C7), IDP, reactions

Units: N–mm–tonne

2) Cervical Spine with Interbody Cage (ACIF-style)

Abaqus: Cervical_WithCage.inp (same loading/steps as healthy for direct comparison)

Geometry: Cage assembled/aligned in the model (within the .inp)

Outputs: Segmental ROM, IDP, cage/contact reactions

Units: N–mm–tonne

3) Lumbar Corpectomy with Mesh Cage (MechCage)

Abaqus: Lumbar_MeshCage.inp (post-corpectomy scenario)

CAD: CATIA V5 .CATPart / .CATProduct (cage + assembly)

Mesh source: HyperMesh file (.hm)

Neutral 3D: STEP of the cage and key components

Outputs: IDP, facet/joint forces, and stress metrics suitable for pre/post comparisons

Units: N–mm–tonne

All models are organized with clear part/instance names, sets, sections, and output requests so you can extend or script quickly.

Typical use cases

Establish a healthy cervical baseline and compare it to cage-instrumented conditions.

Screen implant concepts and perform material/contact or stiffness sensitivity studies.

Demonstrate workflow from CAD → mesh → FE in courses and workshops.

Explore pre-/post-op planning ideas using consistent load cases and outputs.

Engineering Downloads