Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32940741›Full record

ArticleEuropean spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society2021

Cortical threaded pedicle screw improves fatigue strength in decreased bone quality.

Lukas Weiser, Kay Sellenschloh, Klaus Püschel, Michael M Morlock, Lennart Viezens, Wolfgang Lehmann, Gerd Huber

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In one paragraph

Article in European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed
1.8field-weighted citation impact, top 14% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed, 20 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Trial
  2. Risk factors for pedicle screw loosening: a comprehensive review.Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Lukas WeiserDepartment of Trauma Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery and Plastic Surgery, University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Str. 40, 37099, Göttingen, Germany. Lukas.Weiser@med.uni-goettingen.de.ORCID 0000-0001-9812-4658
Kay SellenschlohInstitute of Biomechanics, TUHH Hamburg University of Technology, Hamburg, Germany.
Klaus PüschelInstitute of Forensic Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
Michael M MorlockInstitute of Biomechanics, TUHH Hamburg University of Technology, Hamburg, Germany.
Lennart ViezensDepartment of Trauma Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery and Plastic Surgery, University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Str. 40, 37099, Göttingen, Germany.
Wolfgang LehmannDepartment of Trauma Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery and Plastic Surgery, University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Str. 40, 37099, Göttingen, Germany.
Gerd HuberInstitute of Biomechanics, TUHH Hamburg University of Technology, Hamburg, Germany.
Universität Hamburg · DEUniversitätsmedizin Göttingen · DE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeInadequate anchoring of pedicle screws in vertebrae with poor bone quality is a major problem in spine surgery. The aim was to evaluate whether a modified thread in the area of the pedicle could significantly improve the pedicle screw fatigue strength.

methodsFourteen human cadaveric vertebral bodies (L2 and L3) were used for in vitro testing. Bone density (BMD) was determined by quantitative computed tomography. Vertebral bodies were instrumented by standard pedicle screws with a constant double thread on the right pedicle and a partial doubling of the threads-quad thread-(cortical thread) in the area of the pedicle on the left pedicle. Pulsating sinusoidal, cyclic load (0.5 Hz) with increasing peak force (100 N + 0.1 N/cycles) was applied orthogonal to the screw axis. The baseline force remained constant (50 N). Fatigue test was terminated after exceeding 5.4-mm head displacement (~ 20° screw tilting).

resultsThe mean fatigue load at failure was 264.9 N (1682 cycles) for the standard screws and was increased significantly to 324.7 N (2285 cycles) by the use of cortical threaded screws (p = 0.014). This effect is particularly evident in reduced BMD (standard thread 241.2 N vs. cortical thread 328.4 N; p = 0.016), whereas in the group of vertebrae with normal BMD no significant difference could be detected (standard thread 296.5 N vs. cortical thread 319.8 N; p = 0.463).

conclusionsCompared to a conventional pedicle screw, the use of a cortical threaded pedicle screw promises superior fatigue load in vertebrae with reduced bone quality.

Indexed as

Pedicle ScrewsBiomechanical PhenomenaBone DensityHumansLumbar VertebraeTomography, X-Ray ComputedBMDOsteoporosisPedicle screw designPedicle screw looseningSpine

Identifiers

PMID32940741
OpenAlexW3085800098

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.