Biomechanical modelling of spinal growth modulation for the study of adolescent scoliotic deformities: a feasibility study

Abstract

A model of growth modulation was formulated with variables integrating a biomechanical stimulus of growth modulation, a sensitivity factor to the stimulus and time. It was integrated into a finite element model of the thoracic and lumbar spine using an iterative procedure. A simulation on the personalized geometry of a mild scoliotic patient allowed qualitative investigation of scoliotic deformities over 12 cycles (months) in response to a load variation due to an eccentricity of the patient's gravity line in the frontal plane. Resulting frontal, sagittal and transverse spinal views correspond to clinically observable scoliotic configurations. The simulation adequately reproduces a progressing thoracic scoliotic curve while the slight increasing kyphosis represents a possible condition although a thoracic hypokyphosis is frequently reported in the literature. At the thoracic apex, increased wedging as well as axial rotation evolving towards curve convexity are in agreement with clinical and experimental observations reported with curve progression. This study demonstrates the feasibility of the approach and, compared to other biomechanical models, it achieves a more complete representation of the scoliotic spine by incorporating vertebral growth modulation.