颈椎前路椎体次全切除减压融合钛笼倾斜角度与术后钛笼下沉的有限元分析

Finite element analysis of the correlation between tilt angle of titanium cage and postoperative subsidence of titanium cage after anterior subtotal cervical corpectomy,decompression and fusion

背景:颈椎前路椎体次全切除减压融合是治疗颈椎退行性疾病的常规手段,钛笼是椎体次全切后维持颈椎稳定的重要植入物,近几年临床发现,术后很多患者出现钛笼下沉等并发症,其原因存在很大争议。目的:探讨颈椎前路椎体次全切除减压融合钛笼倾斜角度与术后钛笼下沉的内在生物力学关系。方法:通过正常人体颈椎CT图像建立C_(4)-C_(6)节段三维有限元模型,在三维模型中模拟颈椎前路C5椎体次全切除减压融合,并模拟置入不同倾斜角度的钛笼(-6°至-1°称之为负角度,即钛笼前缘短于钛笼后缘为负角度;1°-6°称之为正角度,即钛笼前缘长于钛笼后缘为正角度)。在C_(4)椎体上分别施加预载荷50,100和150 N的应力作用,记录钛笼与C_(4)下终板和C_(6)上终板各个接触点的应力值(钛网接触面的各7个应力接触点),并进行统计学分析。结果与结论:①钛笼倾斜角正角度组和负角度组分别在C_(4)椎体施加50,100和150 N应力下产生的数据经Mann-Whitn检验发现,差异均有显著性意义(P<0.05);钛笼倾斜角正角度组在50,100和150 N应力条件下,其离散系数均小于负角度组;②在C_(4)椎体施加50,100和150 N应力条件下,钛笼倾斜角正角度组内Wilcoxon符号秩检验发现当角度设为1°-5°时,差异无显著性意义(P>0.05);但当钛笼倾斜角设为6°时,差异有显著性意义(P<0.05);③在C_(4)椎体施加50,100和150 N应力条件下,钛笼倾斜角负角度组内Wilcoxon符号秩检验发现当倾斜角设为-1°至-6°时,差异无显著性意义(P>0.05);④提示矢状位上,钛笼倾斜角为正角度时比倾斜角为负角度时更加稳定,更加适合临床使用;钛笼倾斜角在1°-5°区间内表现相对稳定,当倾斜角为6°时则稳定性开始下降,容易出现术后钛笼下沉的并发症,临床上根据术中情况更适合选用倾斜角度在1°-5°的钛笼,以提高疗效。

BACKGROUND:Anterior subtotal corpectomy,decompression and fusion is a conventional method to treat cervical degenerative diseases.A titanium cage is an important implant to maintain the stability of the cervical spine after subtotal corpectomy.In recent years,many patients have complications such as titanium cage sinking,which are highly controversial.OBJECTIVE:To investigate the internal biomechanical relationship between the tilt angle of the titanium cage and postoperative titanium cage subsidence after anterior subtotal cervical corpectomy,decompression and fusion.METHODS:A three-dimensional finite element model of the C_(4)-C_(6)segment was established by CT images of a normal human cervical spine,in which the anterior subtotal resection,decompression and fusion of the C5 vertebral body were simulated,and titanium cages with different tilt angles(-6°to-1°negative angle,that is,the front edge of titanium cage is shorter than the rear edge of titanium cage;1°to 6°positive angle,that is,the front edge of titanium cage is longer than the rear edge of titanium cage)were placed.After setting the boundary conditions,preloads of 50,100 and 150 N were applied respectively on the C_(4)vertebral body.The stress value of each contact point between the titanium cage and C_(4)lower-end plate and C_(6)lower-end plate(seven stress contact points on the contact surface of titanium mesh)was recorded and statistical analysis was conducted.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The tilt angles of the titanium cage of the positive angle group and negative angle group under 50,100 and 150 N stress respectively were found by Mann Whitn test,with P<0.05,which was statistically significant.The dispersion coefficients of the positive angle group were smaller than those of the negative angle group under 50,100 and 150 N stress conditions.(2)Under 50,100 and 150 N stress conditions,the Wilcoxon sign rank test in the positive angle group of titanium cage tilt angle found that when the angle was set to 1°to 5°,the difference was not statistically significant(P>0.05).However,when the tilt angle of the titanium cage was set to 6°,the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).(3)Under 50,100 and 150 N stress conditions,the Wilcoxon sign rank test in the negative angle group of titanium cage tilt angle found that when the tilt angle was set to-1°to-6°,the difference was not statistically significant(P>0.05).(4)It is concluded that in the sagittal position,the titanium cage with a positive tilt angle is more stable than with a negative tilt angle,which is more suitable for clinical use.The tilt angle of the titanium cage is relatively stable in the range of 1°to 5°.When the tilt angle is 6°,the stability starts to decline,which is easy to cause complications of titanium cage sinking after surgery.It is more suitable to select the titanium cage with a tilt angle of 1°to 5°according to the clinical situation during surgery to improve the efficacy.