Anterior vertebral screw strain with and without solid interspace support

This in vitro biomechanical study examines segmental anterior vertebral screw strain and solid rod construct stiffness with and without the addition of multilevel, threaded cortical bone dowels in a bovine model.

To determine whether strain at the bone-screw interface is higher at the end levels during physiologic range loading, and whether solid interspace support decreases segmental strain on the implant.

Anterior instrumentation provides greater correction and preserves distal motion segments. However, nonunion and implant failure are observed more frequently than with posterior segmental instrumentation, and when observed, loss of fixation occurs at the end levels.

Eight calf spines underwent mechanical testing in the following sequence: 1) intact condition, 2) anterior release with anterior solid rod and bicortical rib grafts, and 3) anterior release with anterior solid rod and threaded cortical bone dowels (L2-L5). Instrumented vertebral screws were used to assess strain within the vertebral body by the near cortex, whereas an anterior extensometer spanning the instrumented segments was used to measure segmental displacements to calculate construct stiffness. The protocol included axial compression (-400 N), right lateral bending (4 Nm (Newton-meter), away from the implant), and left lateral bending (4 Nm, toward the implant). Statistical analysis included a one-way analysis of variance and a Student-Newman-Keuls post hoc test. A pilot study was performed using four additional specimens loaded for 4000 cycles to investigate macroscopic loosening after fatigue loading.

In lateral bending toward the implant, the strain was higher at both end levels, with no differences between the rib and dowel reconstructions. The stiffness values were greater than the intact values for both groups. In lateral bending away from the implant, the strain also was higher at both end screws, and the dowel group had less strain at these levels than the rib group. Both groups were stiffer than the intact condition, and the dowel group was stiffer than the rib group. Axial compressive strain also was higher at the end levels, but this difference did not reach statistical significance. The rib group did not reach intact stiffness values, whereas the dowel group was stiffer than the intact condition. The fatigue study showed gross loosening at one or both end levels in all cases.

Higher strain was observed at the bone-screw interface in both end screws of an anterior solid rod construct during lateral bending, which correlates with the clinically observed failure location. This suggests that physiologic range loading may predispose to failure at the end levels. Disc space augmentation with solid implants increased construct stiffness in all three load paths and decreased strain at the end levels in lateral bending away from the implant. Future implant modifications should achieve better fixation at the end screws, and the current model provides a means to compare different strategies to decrease strain at these levels.