Effectiveness of cemented rescue screws for anterior cervical plate fixation

Object Among the various ways to optimize the fixation of bone implants is to use bone cement, for example, in a total hip prosthesis. No data exist, however, concerning the effectiveness of cemented rescue screws for anterior cervical plate fixation. The aim of this study was to investigate whether cemented rescue screws increase fixation strength in comparison with uncemented standard screws. Methods Six cervical spine segments (C4–7) were explanted during routine autopsy studies from fresh human cadavers. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured for each vertebral body (VB) using quantitative computerized tomography scanning, and 24 VBs were dissected from the segments. Two initial pilot holes were drilled into each VB parallel to the sagittal plane. Based on their BMD, the specimens were assigned to one of two groups in which torque and pullout force were tested. The test was begun with standard screws and was repeated with cannulated slotted rescue screws into which bone cement was injected. The mean ...