Transverse connectors providing increased stability to the cervical spine rod-screw construct: an in vitro human cadaveric study.

Object: The object of this study was to determine if the addition of transverse connectors (TCs) to a rod-screw construct leads to increased stabilization of the cervical spine.

Methods: Eleven human cadaveric cervical spines (C2-T1) were used to examine the effect of adding connectors to a C3-7 rod-screw construct in 3 models of instability: 1) C3-6 wide laminectomy, 2) wide laminectomy and 50% foraminotomy at C4-5 and C5-6, and 3) wide laminectomy with full medial to lateral foraminotomy. Following each destabilization procedure, specimens were tested with no TC, 1 TC between the C-5 screws, and 2 TCs between the C-4 and C-6 screws.