Applications of a resorbable interbody spacer via a posterior lumbar interbody fusion technique.

Polyhydroxyacids are a promising class of bioresorbable materials withpotential applications in spinal surgery. One such polymer, MacroPore (MacroPore Biosurgery Inc, San Diego, Calif), offers a balance of strength, predictable degradation, lack of stimulus of foreign body reaction, and biocompatibility with neural tissue. MacroPore can be formed into an array of shapes and can be manufactured, sterilized, and stored with conventional techniques. Limited clinical experience has been gained with bioresorbable implants that are used as load-sharing devices in a posterior lumbar interbody fusion construct.