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. 2025 Nov 13.
doi: 10.1097/BSD.0000000000001988. Online ahead of print.

Biomechanical Study of Finite Element Method on Novel Composite Anterior Cervical Spine Fixation Techniques

Zhipeng Hou  1   2 , Liujun Zhao  3   4 , Senqi Ye  5 , Jihui Zhang  3   4 , Yongjie Gu  3   4 , Liang Yu  3   4 , Jinyong Zhao  6
Affiliations

Biomechanical Study of Finite Element Method on Novel Composite Anterior Cervical Spine Fixation Techniques

Zhipeng Hou et al. Clin Spine Surg. .

Abstract

Study design: This study was to compare the biomechanical properties of 4 internal fixation methods on the lower cervical injury model by finite element method.

Objective: Using the finite element method to study the biomechanical characteristics of the novel composite anterior cervical spine fixation technique-combining anterior transpedicular screw fixation with a zero-track internal fixation.

Summary of background info: Several studies have demonstrated lower cervical 3-column injury is not effective treated by anterior cervical surgery. To the best of our knowledge, few studies has examined the effectiveness of enhanced anterior cervical surgery alone.

Methods: CT data of a healthy 28-year-old male adult were selected to create finite element models of a 3-column injury model of the lower cervical spine. Four internal fixation methods were applied to the lower cervical spine injury model: anterior cervical locking plate model (group A), posterior transpedicular screw fixation model (group B), anterior+posterior transpedicular screw fixation model (group C), and the novel composite anterior cervical spine fixation model (group D). These models were subjected to 75 N axial force and 1.0 Nm to induce various movements. Comparing the range of motion (ROM), vertebral displacement, and stress distribution of the different models under various conditions.

Results: Compared with the normal model, in flexion, extension, rotation, and lateral bending, the overall intervertebral mobility of group D demonstrated less ROM, but a slightly larger than group C. In flexion, rotation, and lateral bending, the peak stresses for group D were less than group B. In flexion and extension, the vertebral displacements of C3-6 in group D showed less displacement, but a slightly larger than group C.

Conclusions: The biomechanical characteristics of the new composite anterior cervical fixation method are favorable.

Level of evidence: Level III.

Keywords: anterior transpedicular screw; cervical spine; finite elements.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

References

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