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 posteriorly pla red canine cervical spine (C3-C6) including contact,nonlinearities is described. The model Mas created from axial CT scans and the material properties were derived from the literature. The model demonstrated sufficient accuracy from the results of a mesh convergence test. Significant steps were 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 pressures 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.