Biomechanical analysis of multilevel discectomy and excision of posterior longitudinal ligament: an in vitro study in sheep.
OBJECTIVE
This experimental biomechanical study was performed to determine the effects of multilevel anterior cervical discectomy and excision of posterior longitudinal ligament (PLL) to stabilize the cervical spine using an in vitro animal model.


METHODS
Fifty fresh cadaveric C3-C6 sheep spine specimens were divided into five experimental groups: Group A was the control group; Group B, one-level discectomy; Group C, two- level discectomy, Group D, three-level discectomy, and Group E, three-level discectomy and excision of PLL, respectively. The specimens were subjected to non-destructive loads cycled from zero to five Newton-meter for flexion, extension, right and left lateral bending, and axial rotation on an electrohydraulic test machine. Load displacement curves were obtained via collected data using strain gauges. The values were obtained for all five groups, statistical differences were determined respectively (P<0.05, ANOVA).


RESULTS
One-level discectomy was less stable than the control group, two-level discectomy was less stable than one-level discectomy and three-level discectomy was less stable than two-level discectomy, respectively (P<0.05). Excision of PLL did not seem to affect stability (P>0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggested that cervical discectomy decreases stability of sheep spine pieces.
Yilmaz
Cem
C
Department of Neurosurgery, Baskent University, Ankara, Turkey.
Kabatas
Serdar
S
Hepgul
Kemal
K
Bozdag
Ergun
E
Sunbuloglu
Emin
E
Cansever
Tufan
T
D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000379:methods; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D017846:Longitudinal Ligaments / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D012756:Sheep