How to improve the mechanical safety of a novel spinal implant while saving costs and time.

Background: Spinal implant failure is associated with prolonged patient suffering, high costs for the medical device industry, and a high economic burden for the health care system. Pre-clinical mechanical testing has great potential to reduce the risk of such failure. However, there are no binding regulations for planning and interpretation of mechanical testing.

Scoliosis instrumentation alters primary and coupled motions of the spine: An in vitro study using entire thoracolumbar spine and rib cage specimens.

Background: Effects of rigid posterior instrumentation on the three-dimensional post-operative spinal flexibility are widely unknown. Purpose of this in vitro study was to quantify these effects for characteristic adolescent idiopathic scoliosis instrumentations.

Methods: Six fresh frozen human thoracic and lumbar spine specimens (C7-S) with entire rib cage from young adult donors (26-45 years) without clinically relevant deformity were loaded quasi-statically with pure moments of 5 Nm in flexion/extension, lateral bending, and axial rotation.

Spinal instrumentation length affects adjacent segment range of motion and intradiscal pressure.

Scoliosis instrumentation length depends on the type and degree of deformity and the individual preference of the surgeon. This in vitro study aimed to explore effects of increasing instrumentation length on adjacent segment mobility and intervertebral disc loading. Six fresh frozen human spine specimens (C7-sacrum) with entire rib cage from young adult donors (26-45 years) were loaded with pure moments of 5 Nm.

[Biology and mechanobiology of the intervertebral disc : Challenges for regenerative therapies].

The fibrocartilaginous intervertebral discs between the vertebrae give the spine mobility and flexibility. Age and degeneration contribute to tissue changes that affect the composition and structure of the intervertebral discs and can lead to loss of function and back pain. The intervertebral disc cells are responsible for the formation and maintenance of the tissue and are influenced by the physiological load.

Which spinal fixation technique achieves which degree of stability after thoracolumbar trauma? A systematic quantitative review.

Background Context: Unstable traumatic spinal injuries require surgical fixation to restore biomechanical stability.

Purpose: The purpose of this review was to summarize and quantify three-dimensional spinal stability after surgical fixation of traumatic thoracolumbar spinal injuries using different treatment strategies derived from experimental studies.

Study Design/setting: Systematic literature review.