Abstract

Spinal implants are used to treat patients with spinal disorders. Implants have different designs, albeit with the\nsame ultimate objective. They can belong to the constrained or unconstrained types. While a large number of implants and\ndesigns are available, few have been approved by the United States Federal Drug Administration. The development of the\nimplant itself, tests, and modeling from mechanical and biomedical engineering perspectives are done before using them on\npatients. While these implants are routinely developed for civilian populations, military doctors are increasingly using them\nbecause of the potential advantages. However, an unintended consequence of the use of these artificial disc devices is the\nformation of the bone outside the skeletal system wherein it is not normal. This is called heterotopic ossification. Earlier\npresented data are reviewed. Specifically, this study evaluated these important medical and bioengineering issues for\ndifferent implant designs and conventional surgeries without implants using an animal model and quantified the internal\nmechanics of the cervical spine under different modes of loading.