This paper describes a method developed jointly by medical and technical staffs to improve knowledge of the anatomy of the body in the seat-belt position. The method consists of the following steps: - a human cadaver is belted into a model driver's seat and frozen in order to fix anatomical structures; - the entire body is then cut into serial sections; - sections are individually analyzed and drawings of organs are made; - a computer-generated three-dimensional reconstruction is made of each anatomical structure. The resulting reconstructions allowed study of the position of organs in relation to seat belt straps. With further study it is hoped to be able to predict the type of injuries that can occur during collisions and describe the mechanisms underlying lesions that have been reported in field studies. (A)
Samenvatting