title: Effects of total facetectomy on the stability of lumbosacral spine.
abstract: In present study, an anatomically accurate, validated in the entirenonlinear domain, three-dimensional finite elementmodel was used to investigate the biomechanical effects of facetectomy on the stability of the human lumbosacral spine. Bilateral total facetectomy was simulated at L4-L5 and L5-S1 levels. Flexion, extension, and axial torsion were applied using pure moment protocols. Total facetectomy increased spinal instability significantly under extension and axial rotation and not under flexion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Wisconsin and Zablocki VA Medical Center, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Yabo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.forename: Narayan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yoganandan
authors.forename: Frank A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Pintar
authors.forename: Dennis J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Maiman
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D007796:Laminectomy / Q000379:methods*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D008161:Lumbosacral Region / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D008954:Models, Biological; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D013130:Spinal Stenosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome