[History of vertebral body replacement].
BACKGROUND
Vertebral body replacement after corpectomy is nowadays a standard procedure in spinal surgery.


OBJECTIVE
Description of the developmental process of vertebral body replacement.


METHODS
Historical description of the innovations in vertebral body replacement.


RESULTS
The first serious attempts to perform vertebral body replacement were initiated approximately 50 years ago. Over several decades spinal surgeons used bone grafts, polymethyl methacrylate, titanium and glass-ceramics containing apatite and wollastonite. Known vertebral surgeons, including Scoville, Polster, Kaneda and Harms, to name but a few, were involved in the continuous development of vertebral body replacement.


CONCLUSIONS
Many different expandable and non-expandable implants are now available and both types of implant can still be justified. This article describes the historical development of these implants and shows how this innovational process has significantly increased the therapy options for surgeons.
Orthopädische Universitätsklinik Friedrichsheim gGmbH, Marienburgstr. 2, 60528, Frankfurt, Deutschland. timur.tarhan@friedrichsheim.de.
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Tarhan
Orthopädische Universitätsklinik Friedrichsheim gGmbH, Marienburgstr. 2, 60528, Frankfurt, Deutschland.
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Froemel
Orthopädische Universitätsklinik Friedrichsheim gGmbH, Marienburgstr. 2, 60528, Frankfurt, Deutschland.
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Rickert
Orthopädische Universitätsklinik Friedrichsheim gGmbH, Marienburgstr. 2, 60528, Frankfurt, Deutschland.
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Rauschmann
Orthopädische Universitätsklinik Friedrichsheim gGmbH, Marienburgstr. 2, 60528, Frankfurt, Deutschland.
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Fleege
D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000266:history* / Q000601:surgery; D019736:Prostheses and Implants / Q000266:history*; D011474:Prosthesis Design / Q000266:history*; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000266:history* / Q000601:surgery; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000266:history* / Q000295:instrumentation*
Corpectomy; Implants; Innovational process; Spinal surgery; Therapy options