title: Evaluation of the stress distribution change at the adjacent facet joints after lumbar fusion surgery: a biomechanical study.
abstract: Spinal fusion surgery has been widely applied in clinical treatment, and the spinal fusion rate has improved markedly. However, its postoperative complications, especially adjacent segment degeneration, have increasingly attracted the attention of spinal surgeons. The most common pathological condition at adjacent segments is hypertrophic degenerative arthritis of the facet joint. To study the stress distribution changes at the adjacent facet joint after lumbar fusion with pedicle screw fixation, human cadaver lumbar spines were used in the present study, and electrical resistance strain gauges were attached on L1-L4 articular processes parallel or perpendicular to the articular surface of facet joints. Subsequently, electrical resistance strain gauge data were measured using anYJ-33 static resistance strain indicator with three types of models: the intact model, the laminectomy model, and the fusion model with pedicle screw fixation. The strain changes in the measurement sites indirectly reflect the stress changes. Significant differences in strain were observed between the normal and laminectomy state at all facet joints. Significant differences in strain were observed between the normal and the pedicle screw fixation fusion state at the L1/2 and L3/4 facet joints. The increased stress on the facet joints after lumbar fusion with pedicle screw fixation may be the cause of adjacent segment degeneration.
authors: Biomechanics Labs of Orthopedic Research Institute, Tianjin Hospital, Tianjin, China.
authors: Jianxiong
authors: J
authors: Ma
authors: Biomechanics Labs of Orthopedic Research Institute, Tianjin Hospital, Tianjin, China Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.
authors: Haobo
authors: H
authors: Jia
authors: Biomechanics Labs of Orthopedic Research Institute, Tianjin Hospital, Tianjin, China maxinlong2007@gmail.com.
authors: Xinlong
authors: X
authors: Ma
authors: Biomechanics Labs of Orthopedic Research Institute, Tianjin Hospital, Tianjin, China.
authors: Weiguo
authors: W
authors: Xu
authors: Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.
authors: Jingtao
authors: J
authors: Yu
authors: Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.
authors: Rui
authors: R
authors: Feng
authors: Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.
authors: Jie
authors: J
authors: Wang
authors: Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.
authors: Dan
authors: D
authors: Xing
authors: Biomechanics Labs of Orthopedic Research Institute, Tianjin Hospital, Tianjin, China.
authors: Ying
authors: Y
authors: Wang
authors: Biomechanics Labs of Orthopedic Research Institute, Tianjin Hospital, Tianjin, China.
authors: Shaowen
authors: S
authors: Zhu
authors: Biomechanics Labs of Orthopedic Research Institute, Tianjin Hospital, Tianjin, China.
authors: Yang
authors: Y
authors: Yang
authors: Biomechanics Labs of Orthopedic Research Institute, Tianjin Hospital, Tianjin, China.
authors: Yang
authors: Y
authors: Chen
authors: Biomechanics Labs of Orthopedic Research Institute, Tianjin Hospital, Tianjin, China.
authors: Baoyi
authors: B
authors: Ma
mesh_terms: D001863:Bone Screws; D002102:Cadaver; D019245:Compressive Strength / Q000502:physiology; D055119:Elastic Modulus / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013718:Tensile Strength / Q000502:physiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D021801:Zygapophyseal Joint / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*
keywords: Spinal fusion; adjacent segment degeneration; strain; stress; zygapophyseal joint