Anatomically-based skeletal coordinate systems for use with impact biomechanics data intended for anthropomorphic test device development.

Post-mortem human subjects (PMHS) are frequently used to characterize biomechanical response and injury tolerance of humans to various types of loading by means of instrumentation installed directly on the skeleton. Data extracted from such tests are often used to develop and validate anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs), which function as human surrogates in tests for injury assessment. Given that the location and orientation of installed instrumentation differs between subjects, nominally similar measurements made on different PMHS must be transformed to standardized, skeletal-based local coordinate systems (LCS) before appropriate data comparisons can be made. Standardized PMHS LCS that correspond to ATD instrumentation locations and orientations have not previously been published. This paper introduces anatomically-defined PMHS LCS for body regions in which kinematic measurements are made using ATDs. These LCS include the head, sternum, single vertebrae, pelvis, femurs (distal and proximal), and tibiae (distal and proximal) based upon skeletal landmarks extracted from whole body CT scans. The proposed LCS provide a means to standardize the reporting of PMHS data, and facilitate both the comparison of PMHS impact data across institutions and the application of PMHS data to the development and validation of ATDs.

The Case of an Obstructed Stone at the Distal Urethra.

This report highlights a presentation of urinary calculus impacted at the urethral meatus and bedside extraction after evaluation with point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS). Visualization of a stone at the urethral meatus prompted a point-of-care ultrasound of the penile shaft and glans. The ultrasound ruled out anatomic variations such as urethral diverticula and as a result bedside removal was expedited. The stone was successfully removed with traction and intraurethral lidocaine gel without urethral lesions or injury to the meatus. Bedside ultrasound is readily available in the emergency department and can be used to characterize urethral foreign bodies, evaluate urethral anatomy, and assess the likelihood of bedside removal.