title: [Biodegradable cage. Osteointegration in spondylodesis of the sheep cervical spine].
abstract: Bioabsorbable implants are commonplace in knee and shoulder surgery. Bioabsorbable poly(l-lactide-co-D,L-lactide) (PLDLLA) cage devices have potential benefits over autologous tricortical iliac crest bone graft and metallic cages for cervical spine interbody fusion. The purpose of this study was to compare interbody fusion of an autologous tricortical iliac crest bone graft with that of a bioabsorbable cage using a sheep cervical spine interbody fusion model. This study was designed to determine differences in (1) the ability to preserve postoperative distraction, (2) biomechanical stability, and (3) histological characteristics of intervertebral bone matrix formation. Sixteen full-grown Merino sheep underwent C3/4 discectomy and fusion. After 12 weeks, there was no significant difference between the results with the bioabsorbable PLDLLA cages and tricortical bone grafts. The cage also did not show advanced interbody fusion but did, however, show large osteolysis, which allows skepticism regarding the value of this bioabsorbable implant.
authors.affiliation: Unfall- und Wiederherstellungschirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Charité, Humboldt-Universität, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Berlin. robert.pflugmacher@charite.de
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pflugmacher
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Eindorf
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scholz
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gumnior
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Krall
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schleicher
authors.forename: N P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Haas
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kandziora
mesh_terms: D020341:Absorbable Implants; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D016025:Bone Transplantation; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005549:Foreign-Body Reaction / Q000209:etiology; D016348:Osseointegration; D011091:Polyesters; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011897:Random Allocation; D012756:Sheep; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000379:methods; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D011091:Polyesters; C033616:poly(lactide)