Temporal bone fracture under lateral impact: biomechanical and macroscopic evaluation

This work was conducted to study biomechanical properties and macroscopic analysis of petrous fracture by lateral impact. Seven embalmed intact human cadaver heads were tested to failure using an electrohydraulic testing device. Dynamic loading was done at 2 m/s on temporal region with maximal deflection to 12 mm. Anthropometric and pathological data were determined by pretest and posttest computed tomography images, macroscopic evaluation, and anatomical dissection. Biomechanical data were obtained. Results indicated the head to have nonlinear structural response. The overall mean values of failure forces, deflections, stiffness, occipital, and frontal peak acceleration were 7.1 kN (±1.1), 9.1 mm (±1.8), 1.3 kN/mm (±0.4), 90.5 g (±22.5), and 65.4 g (±16), respectively. The seven lateral impacts caused fractures, temporal fractures in six cases. We observed very strong homogeneity for the biomechanical and pathological results between different trials in our study and between data from various experiments and our study. No statistical correlation was found between anthropometric, biomechanical, and pathological data. These data will assist in the development and validation of finite element models of head injury.