Pilot Study of a New Acrylic Cage in a Dog Cervical Spine Fusion Model

Abstract

The acrylic cage showed significantly higher mechanical stiffness and less subsidence than bone grafting. Additional studies with more subjects and longer follow-up periods are needed to compare the cost effectiveness of acrylic cages and polyetheretherketone devices.

Comparison Between Acrylic Cage and Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) Cage in Single-level Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion

“…retentive teeth on the top and bottom which is based on an experimental ring to cylinder design composed of PMMA and methacrylate. 20,21 Its upper part has a curved surface and its lower part has a flat surface adjustable to the end plates, which improve the fixation of the cage to the bone (Fig. 2).…”

“…2). 20,21 In the present study, we used cages with a long internal crosssection of 17mm and a height of 5mm (Fig. 2).…”

“…20 We conducted a study in a dog cervical spine fusion model, published in the Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques, in which we found our newly developed Acrylic cage was associated with higher disc space height (DSH) than the bone graft group and the Acrylic cage with larger graft surface led to significantly better distraction, higher biomechanical stiffness due to biomechanical properties of the acrylate polymer and cage design, lower range of motion in bending, less subsidence, an early bony interbody fusion without major foreign body reaction, and better correction of the intervertebral angle (IVA) than bone grafting. 20 Furthermore, this partially radiolucent cage has no computed tomography (CT) artifacts, which allows good visualization and facilitates postoperative follow-up and assessment, no bone cement toxicity or no heat effects, but it possibly reduces some of the long-term complications of other cages. Toxicity and heat effects is seen during the process of making the Acrylic cage in which two primary components of bone cements, including a powder consisting of copolymers based on the substance PMMA and a liquid monomer such as methylmethacrylate, are mixed at an approximate ratio of 2:1 to form PMMA cement.…”

“…Findings to date with the Acrylic cage make it a safe and effective treatment option that is comparable to a PEEK grafting procedure. [20][21][22][23] In performance of the Acrylic cage with PEEK cage to find out which fusion cage yielded better clinical and radiological outcomes following ACDF.…”

Spinal Fusion with Methylmethacrylate Cage

“…This acrylic cage is composed of PMMA and methacrylate and designed based on an experimental ring-to-cylinder (45). The cage has a curved, round plate adjustable to the upper endplate of the cervical disc space.…”