Biomechanical comparison between titanium and cobalt chromium rods used in a pedicle subtraction osteotomy model

Bibliographic Details
Title: Biomechanical comparison between titanium and cobalt chromium rods used in a pedicle subtraction osteotomy model
Authors: Kalpit N. Shah, Gregory Walker, Sarath C. Koruprolu, Alan H. Daniels
Source: Orthopedic Reviews, Vol 10, Iss 1 (2018)
Publisher Information: Open Medical Publishing, 2018.
Publication Year: 2018
Collection: LCC:Orthopedic surgery
Subject Terms: titanium, cobalt-chromium, posterior spinal fusion rods, pedical subtraction osteotomy, spinal deformity, Orthopedic surgery, RD701-811
More Details: Instrumentation failure is a common complication following complex spinal reconstruction and deformity correction. Rod fracture is the most frequent mode of hardware failure and often occurs at or near a 3-column osteotomy site. Titanium (Ti) rods are commonly utilized for spinal fixations, however, theoretically stiffer materials, such as cobalt-chrome (CoCr) rods are also available. Despite ongoing use in clinical practice, there is little biomechanical evidence that compares the construct ability to withstand fatigue stress for Ti and Co-Cr rods. Six models using 2 polyethylene blocks each were used to simulate a pedicle subtraction osteotomy. Within each block 6.0×45 mm polyaxial screws were placed and connected to another block using either two 6.0×100 mm Ti (3 models) or CoCr rods (3 models). The rods were bent to 40° using a French bender and were secured to the screws to give a vertical height of 1.5 cm between the blocks. The blocks were fatigue tested with 700N at 4 Hz until failure. The average number of cycles to failure for the Ti rod models was 12840 while the CoCr rod models failed at a significantly higher, 58351 cycles (P=0.003). All Ti models experienced rod fracture as the mode of failure. Two out of the three CoCr models had rod fractures while the last sample failed via screw fracture at the screw-tulip junction. The risk of rod failure is substantial in the setting of long segment spinal arthrodesis and corrective osteotomy. Efforts to increase the mechanical strength of posterior constructs may reduce the occurrence of this complication. Utilizing CoCr rods in patients with pedicle subtraction osteotomy may reduce the rate of device failure during maturation of the posterior fusion mass and limit the need for supplemental anterior column support.
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 2035-8237
2035-8164
Relation: http://www.pagepress.org/journals/index.php/or/article/view/7541; https://doaj.org/toc/2035-8237; https://doaj.org/toc/2035-8164
DOI: 10.4081/or.2018.7541
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/f36e985fb57c433598b75f4d9cb38624
Accession Number: edsdoj.f36e985fb57c433598b75f4d9cb38624
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
More Details
ISSN:20358237
20358164
DOI:10.4081/or.2018.7541
Published in:Orthopedic Reviews
Language:English