Titanium-mesh block replacement of the intervertebral disk.
A prospective clinical trial was conducted involving patients with prolapsed lumbar intervertebral disk proven myelographically, who had anterior diskectomy and disk replacement with a titanium-mesh block implant. A pilot study was done in 1971 on six patients. In this trial, 28 patients were operated on with informed consent. Twenty-three had a minimum of five years' follow-up study. There were 14 men and boys, and nine women and girls. The average follow-up period was eight years and four months (range, five to 12 years three months). The average age at operation was 36 years four months (range, 13-66 years). Symptomatic improvement were divided into three groups. Sixteen patients were in Group 1, three in Group 2, and three in Group 3. Flexion-extension radiographs showed 14 patients with no movement between the vertebral bodies adjacent to the operated disk, five with minimal movement, and four with definite movement. At the implant-bone interface, no radiolucent zone was seen in 18 patients, and a definite radiolucent zone was seen in five. Twenty implants were intact, three implants had developed a crack, and three were deformed. There were no complications. The titanium-mesh block implant is an effective substitute for autogenous bone grafting in interbody fusion.
Leong
J C
JC
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital.
Chow
S P
SP
Yau
A C
AC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017586:Diskectomy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000601:surgery*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D011859:Radiography; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D013526:Surgical Mesh; D014025:Titanium
D014025:Titanium