Finite Element Analysis of Unilateral versus Bipedicular Bone-Filling Mesh Container for the Management of Osteoporotic Compression Fractures

The effect of unilateral and bilateral bone-filling mesh containers (BFC) on osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (OVCF) was analyzed by the finite element method. The CT scan data of the T12-L2 vertebral body were obtained from a healthy female volunteer with no history of lumbar spine injury or obvious abnormality of vertebral body morphology. The normal finite element model of the T12-L2 vertebral body and the finite element model of osteoporosis were established, and the models were validated. The L1 in the normal model of the vertebral body was used to simulate the vertebral compression fracture, after which the unilateral and bilateral BFC were simulated to establish models representing the two surgical approaches. We analyzed changes in the deformation and von Mises stress in vertebral bodies and intervertebral discs in the two models under seven working conditions (axial direction, anteflexion, rear protraction, left-side bending, right-side bending, left rotation, and right rotation) and found that the unilateral and bilateral approaches are biomechanically comparable, with no statistical difference between the two overall models.