Comparison of Stabilization and Fusion Methods with Xenograft Plate Screws After Anterior Lumbar Corpectomy in Dogs

Fusion development is the primary goal in spinal surgeries that are conducted for the treatment of vertebral body pathologies such as trauma, tumor and infection. Stabilization using metal plate screws together either with an autograft, allograft or xenograft is used. We evaluated fusion development in stabilizations that were carried out with xenograft (XG) with XG plate-screw (XPS) and XG with metal plate-screw (MPS) systems in dogs" lumbar vertebrae (L5-7 segment) in terms of radiological, biomechanical and histopathological aspects.

The animals were divided into 4 groups, each including 5 subjects. The experiment consisted of Control group 1 which did not go through any procedure and was stabilized, Control group 2 which underwent instability with only L6 anterior corpectomy, Experimental group 1 which was stabilized with intervertebral XG and XPS after L6 corpectomy, and Experimental group 2 which was stabilized with intervertebral XG and MPS after L6 corpectomy. Development of fusion in the Experimental groups 1 and 2 was evaluated in terms of radiological and histopathological aspects.

Comparison of Control and Experimental groups showed an increase in resistance in all activities on biomechanical tests (p < 0.01). Fusion development was observed in the radiological and histopathological examinations of the subjects in the Experimental group. On the other hand, Experimental groups 1 and 2 did not show a significant difference in the biomechanical test comparisons (p > 0.05).

Xenograft plate screws and metal plate screws provide equivalent fusion and stabilization in anterior lumbar stabilization.