Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 22, 2026
Multilevel Oblique Lumbar Interbody Fusion in Degenerative Lumbar Disc Disease with Instability
Published on: July 25, 2025
Biomechanical Stability Analysis of a Stand-alone Cage, Static and Rotational-dynamic Plate in a Two-level Cervical
Parmenion P Tsitsopoulos1,2, Leonard I Voronov1,2, Michael R Zindrick2
1Musculoskeletal Biomechanics Laboratory, Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, Illinois, USA.
Objective:
To test the following hypotheses: (i) anterior cervical discetomy and fusion (ACDF) using stand-alone interbody spacers will significantly reduce the range of motion from intact spine; and (ii) the use of a static or a rotational-dynamic plate will significantly augment the stability of stand-alone interbody spacers, with similar beneficial effect when compared to each other.
Methods:
Eleven human cadaveric subaxial cervical spines (age: 48.2 ± 5.4 years) were tested under the following sequence: (i) intact spine; (ii) ACDF at C4 -C5 using a stand-alone interbody spacer; (iii) ACDF at C5 -C6 and insertion of an interbody spacer (two-level construct); and (iv) randomized placement of either a two-level locking static plate or a rotational-dynamic plate.
Results:
Insertion of stand-alone cage at C4 -C5 and C5 -C6 caused a significant decrease in the range of motion compared to intact spine (P < 0.05). Placement of both the locking and the rotational dynamic plate further reduced the range of motion at C4 -C5 and C5 -C6 compared to stand-alone cage (P < 0.01). No significant differences in range of motion restriction at either C4 -C5 or C5 -C6 were found when the two plating systems were compared (P > 0.05).
Conclusions:
Cervical stand-alone interbody spacers caused significant restriction in the range of motion. Both plates significantly augmented the stability of stand-alone interbody spacers, with similar stabilizing effect.
