Faculty Collaboration Database

Biomechanics of cervical spine facetectomy and fixation techniques. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 1988 Jul;13(7):808-12

Date

07/01/1988

Pubmed ID

3194790

DOI

10.1097/00007632-198807000-00017

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-0023802341 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   108 Citations

Abstract

Facetectomy, either unilateral or bilateral, significantly altered the capacity of cervical spine functional units to withstand increasing compression-flexion loads applied in a constant mode to different specimen configurations. Unilateral facetectomy resulted in an average 31.6 +/- 9.7 percent decrease in strength whereas bilateral disruption caused an average 53.1 +/- 11 percent decrease in strength. Motion analysis in a two-dimensional plane after facetectomy indicated an anterior displacement of the instantaneous axis of rotation (IAR) with a resultant increased load on the vertebral bodies and disc. This anterior shift of the IAR in the horizontal plane was significantly but not completely resolved by wire fixation of the facet joints. These fixation techniques, consisting of either facet to facet or facet to spinous process wiring, demonstrated a similar capability to restore strength to the functional units as well as reducing excessive motion in the vertical and anterior axes induced by the facetectomies.

Author List

Cusick JF, Yoganandan N, Pintar F, Myklebust J, Hussain H

Authors

Frank A. Pintar PhD Professor in the Biomedical Engineering department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Narayan Yoganandan PhD Professor in the Neurosurgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Biomechanical Phenomena
Cervical Vertebrae
Humans
Middle Aged
Movement
Neck
Orthopedic Fixation Devices
Spinal Injuries