Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40988767›Full record

ArticleNorth American Spine Society journal2025

Implant density reduction to avoid proximal junctional failure in adult spine surgery: Computer models and simulations.

Morteza Rasouligandomani, Alex Del Arco, Tomaso Villa, Luigi La Barbera, Miguel A González Ballester, Fabio Galbusera, Jérôme Noailly

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in North American Spine Society journal, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
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.

Morteza RasouligandomaniBCN MedTech, Department of Engineering, DTIC, University Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain.
Alex Del ArcoHospital del Mar, IMIM, Barcelona, Spain.
Tomaso VillaLaboratory of Biological Structure Mechanics, Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering "Giulio Natta", Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy.
Luigi La BarberaLaboratory of Biological Structure Mechanics, Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering "Giulio Natta", Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy.
Miguel A González BallesterBCN MedTech, Department of Engineering, DTIC, University Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain.
Fabio GalbuseraDepartment of Teaching, Research and Development, Schulthess Klinik, Zürich, Switzerland.
Jérôme NoaillyBCN MedTech, Department of Engineering, DTIC, University Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Proximal Junctional Failure (PJF) is a common complication in Adult Spine Deformity (ASD) surgeries, often leading to reoperations. While revision surgeries with osteotomies carry high complication rate of 34.8%, alternatives such as hardware proximal extension may increase PJF risk in patients with severe Global Alignment and Proportion (GAP) scores. Implant Density Reduction (IDR) has emerged to mitigate PJF risk. This study assessed the impact of IDR on PJF risk and explored sub-optimal strategies. Methods: Two patient-personalized Finite Element (FE) models were used and expanded into a virtual cohort. Implant Density (ID), rod material, bone quality, and GAP were systematically varied. Thoracolumbar FE models were developed using structured Statistical Shape Modeling (SSM). Biomechanical metrics of Intervertebral Disk (IVD) fiber strain, Screw Pull-out Force (SPF), and rod stress, were evaluated. Trade-off analyses could determine sub-optimal configurations avoiding PJF. Results: IDR significantly decreased IVD strain (up to -70%) and improved screw stability (up to +142%), for patients with titanium (Ti) rods and normal bone. However, IDR effectiveness was limited for cases with GAP ≥12, osteoporotic bone, and Cobalt-Chromium (Cr-Co) rods. No IDR strategy could prevent PJF for cases with GAP 12 or 13, regardless of rod type. For cases with GAP 11 and Upper Instrumented Vertebra (UIV) at T10, IDR was effective with only Ti rods. For cases with GAP 13 and UIV at T3, none of IDRs, independent of rod material, offered benefit. Notably, Ti rods may support IDR-based risk reduction in borderline cases, such as GAP 12, UIV at T3. Conclusions: IDR is a promising strategy to lower PJF risk in high-risk spine revision cases, though its effectiveness depends on surgical and anatomical factors. This study provides an in-silico tool to support personalized surgical planning and guide future clinical trials aimed at reducing reoperations and healthcare costs.

Indexed as

Adult spine deformityFinite element modelImplant density reductionPatient-personalised osteo-ligamentous spineProximal junctional failureSpine revision surgeryStatistical shape modelUpper instrumented vertebra

Identifiers

PMID40988767
PMCPMC12452785

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Registered trials

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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.