Rod reduction to pedicle screws is used for a variety of spinal fixation procedures; however, it can alter the integrity of the screw-bone interface. The authors investigated the effect of pedicle fill (ratio of pedicle screw diameter to pedicle diameter) on the strength of the screw-bone interface after simulated rod reduction on 17 vertebrae (3 thoracolumbar spine specimens). Pedicle diameter...

OBJECTIVES No studies have compared monoaxial and polyaxial pedicle screws with regard to the von Mises stress of the instrumentation, intradiscal pressures of the adjacent segment and adjacent segment degeneration. METHODS Short-segment monoaxial/polyaxial pedicle screw fixation techniques were compared using finite element methods, and the redistributed T11-L1 segment range of motion, large...

BACKGROUND Posterior, atlantoaxial (AA) fusions of the cervical spine may include either standard (26 mm) or short (16 mm) C2 pedicle screws. This manuscript focused on an in vitro biomechanical comparison of standard versus short C2 pedicle screws to perform posterior C1-C2 AA fusions. METHODS Twelve human cadaveric spines underwent C1 lateral mass screw and standard C2 pedicle screw (n = 6)...

To quantify the reference data concerning the morphometrics of the middle-upper thorax to guide the placement of cortical bone trajectory (CBT) screws.Eighty patients were studied on computed tomography (CT) scans. The reference anatomical parameters were measured. Next, 20 cadaveric specimens were implanted with CBT screws based on CT measurements. These specimens were then judged directly fro...

OBJECTIVE We evaluated the influence of the diameter and the preparation of the pilot hole on the resistance to the pulling out and the strength when inserting pedicle screws with conical internal diameter. METHODS Mechanical experiments were performed with pedicle conical screws of 4.2 mm and 5.2 mm diameter. They were inserted in the vertebral pedicles of swine. The hole was manufactured wi...

Aim: Autologous tissue is considered the “gold standard” for breast reconstruction today. However, little is known about deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap reconstruction in combination with tissue expander (TE)/implant. The authors describe a series of combined DIEP flap/TE reconstruction, including its indications and technique to ensure protection of the pedicle during the expan...

The pig spine is widely used as a large animal model for preclinical research in human medicine to test new spinal implants and surgical procedures. Among them, pedicle screw is one of the most common method of fixation of those implants. However, the pedicle of the porcine vertebra is not as well defined and not as large as the pedicle of the human vertebra. Therefore, the position of the scre...

BACKGROUND Large-scale muscle tissue engineering remains a major challenge. An axial vascular pedicle and perfusion bioreactor are necessary for the development and maintenance of large-scale engineered muscle to ensure circulation within the construct. We aimed to develop a novel experimental model of a large-scale engineered muscle flap from an existing rat groin fat flap. METHODS A fat fla...

OBJECTIVE Deep inferior epigastric artery perforator (DIEP) flap is an excellent option for breast reconstruction in young and active patients who have a history of chest wall radiation. One drawback, however, is that the entire capacity of abdominal pannus cannot be reliably transferred on a single pedicle. The purpose of this case report is to demonstrate a method of maximizing the volume of ...

BACKGROUND In our institution, the fixation technique in treating idiopathic scoliosis was shifted from hybrid fixation to the all-screw method beginning in 2000. We conducted this study to assess the intermediate -term outcome of all-screw method in treating adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). METHODS Forty-nine consecutive patients were retrospectively included with minimum of 5-year fol...