What is the best material for an interbody cage?
Titanium and its alloys have been used in orthopedic surgery since the 1940s, and the first metal cage technology for spinal fusion was introduced in 1988. Today, 2 of the more popular materials used for interbody implants include titanium and PEEK, both of which have their advantages and disadvantages.
What is a PEEK interbody cage?
PEEK spinal cages, also termed interbody fusion cages, are used in spinal fusion procedures to replace a damaged spinal disc and provide an ideal environment for two vertebrae to fuse together. Fusion is indicated when the spine is affected by a degenerative disorder or when it sustains an injury.
What is a cage used for in spinal surgery?
The intervertebral fusion cage is a large, hollow cylinder made of some type of metal, usually titanium. It is designed as a “cage” so that bone graft can be placed inside the hollow cylinder to allow a spinal fusion to occur between two vertebrae.
What is PLIF cage?
A cage made of allograft bone, or posterior lumbar interbody cages with bone graft, is then inserted into the disc space and the bone grows from vertebral body to vertebral body.
What are spinal fusion cages made of?
Anterior interbody cages are titanium cylinders that are placed in the disc space. The cages are porous and allow the bone graft to grow from the vertebral body through the cage and into the next vertebral body.
What is an interbody graft?
In an interbody spine fusion, the bone graft is placed in between the vertebral bodies where the disc usually lies. The disc has to be completely removed and endplates cleaned prior to placement of the graft. This will allow the fusion to occur from one vertebral body to the other through their endplates.
What is an interbody cage made of?
Interbody cages are placed between the bodies of 2 adjacent vertebrae—after removing the intervertebral disc that typically occupies this space. Spinal cages may be made of metal, polymer, ceramic, or a fusion of different materials. Two commonly used materials include titanium and polyetheretherketone (PEEK).
What is an interbody?
Interbody = between the vertebral bodies. Lumbar = having to do with the spine in the lower back. Fusion = a process in which bones “fuse,” or grow together into one bone. A Transforaminal Interbody Lumbar Fusion treats spinal instability or weakness by permanently uniting bones of the lumbar (lower) spine.