Biomechanical Role of the Intervertebral Disc and Costovertebral Joint in Stability of the Thoracic Spine

Study Design.Biomechanical evaluation was performed to investigate the stability of the thoracic spine. Unilateral resection of the intervertebral disc, the rib head joint, and the costotransverse joint were sequentially performed, and nondestructive cyclic loading tests were conducted at each injur