Safety and effectiveness of a piezoelectric ultrasonic bone cutter for cervical corpectomy: a pilot study in rabbits

Piezosurgery has emerged as an innovative technique with minimal soft tissue injury, making it useful for complex spinal procedures. However, its efficacy in small-animal spinal surgery needs further evaluation. This study assessed the safety and effectiveness of a piezoelectric ultrasonic bone cutter (PUBC) in a rabbit vertebral defect model.

Twenty New Zealand white rabbits were assigned to two groups: one undergoing surgery with a traditional rotary drill (TRD) and the other with a PUBC device. Cervical corpectomy defects were created using the respective osteotomy tools, and intraoperative and postoperative complications were carefully monitored.

Three rabbits (3/10, 30%) in the TRD group experienced both intraoperative and postoperative complications, whereas no complications were observed in the PUBC group. Compared to the TRD, the PUBC device minimized bleeding and effectively protected surrounding soft tissue structures from damage. Additionally, the PUBC produced more uniform and precise bone defects, potentially facilitating proper bone graft implantation. However, micro-computed tomography and histological analysis revealed no significant differences in bone healing between the devices.

This study suggests that the PUBC is a safe and effective tool for spinal surgery in small animal models, and can be used as an alternative approach to the TRD device.