Effect of width of disk fenestration and a ventral slot on biomechanics of the canine C5-C6 vertebral motion unit.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effects of disk fenestration and ventral slot formation on vertebral motion unit (VMU) range of motion (ROM) and determine the effects of fenestration and ventral slot width on VMU ROM.

SAMPLE POPULATION

C5-C6 VMUs from 10 skeletally mature canine cadavers.

PROCEDURES

Specimens were assigned to 2 groups (5 specimens/group). Surgery was performed in which width of a fenestration and a ventral slot was 33% (group 1) or 50% (group 2) the width of the vertebral body. Flexion-extension, lateral bending, and axial torsion ROMs were measured during loading before surgery, after fenestration, and after ventral slot formation. Range of motion was compared within groups to determine effects of surgical procedure on stability and between groups to determine effects of width of fenestration and ventral slot on stability.

RESULTS

For both groups, fenestration resulted in a significant increase in ROM during flexion-extension, compared with results for intact specimens. Ventral slot formation resulted in a significant increase in ROM during flexion-extension and lateral bending, compared with results for intact specimens. Ventral slot formation resulted in a significant increase in ROM only during flexion-extension, compared with results for fenestrated specimens. There were no significant differences in ROM of the intact, fenestrated, and ventral slot specimens between groups.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Analysis of these results suggests that fenestration and ventral slot procedures each affect the biomechanics of the C5-C6 VMU. Width of a fenestration or ventral slot up to 50% of the width of C5-C6 may be clinically acceptable.