Biomechanics and Motion Analysis

Pillar System to Enhance Short-Segment Pedicle Instrumentation

Principal Investigator: Chunfeng Zhao, M.D. — zhao.chunfeng@mayo.edu

Spinal fracture is one of the most common fracture and is a very severe injury, especially Unstable spinal fractures, such as burst fractures, are very severe. Surgical treatments of unstable spinal burst fracture have been developing rapidly following the development of instrumentation for internal spinal fixation systems. Short-segment pedicle instrumentation (SSPI) has been highly accepted because of its relatively strong fixation with minimal spine segment fusion, although clinical results are variable. We have designed an oblique pillar system to share the loading with the SSPI. Mechanical testing showed that range of motion in flexion/extension and axial rotation, was significantly less with the instrumentation and pillar compared to the instrumentation alone.