title: Rods in spinal surgery: a review of the literature.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Spinal instrumentation has been used for more than five decades. Since the introduction of the Harrington rod in 1962, new rod materials and concepts have been developed. Rigid rod fixation has achieved higher fusion rates than previous methods. Recently, semirigid rod fixation devices have been used for both dynamic stabilization and fusion fixation. Memory rods, which have an interesting ability to return to their pre-bent shape when the temperature increases, are expected to be used for scoliosis correction.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To review the previous literature regarding biofunctionality and biocompatibility of rods in spinal surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The properties of each type of rod need to be taken into consideration when performing spinal instrumentation surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases, 301 E. 17th St, New York, NY 10003, USA; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, 1-Kawasumi, Mizuho-Cho, Mizuho-Ku, Nagoya 467-8601, Japan. Electronic address: hiroyoshihara55@yahoo.co.jp.
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoshihara
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D009984:Orthopedic Fixation Devices; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000295:instrumentation*
keywords: Material; Memory rod; Rigid rod; Semirigid rod; Spinal instrumentation