ArticleFrontiers in medicine2026
Effect of total ligamentum flavum removal on increased motion and reduced stiffness: an
Article in Frontiers in medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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5 authors.
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Abstract
Background: The ligamentum flavum (LF) is a key component of the posterior tension band and contributes critically to lumbar segmental stability. Although laminotomy and flavectomy are widely performed during lumbar decompression, their isolated biomechanical effects remain incompletely characterized, particularly in controlled ex vivo models with validated similarity to human lumbar mechanics and procedure-specific experimental frameworks. This study investigated whether complete LF removal increases motion and decreases stiffness beyond the effects of laminotomy alone. Methods: Twenty-four lamb L4-L5 functional spinal units were randomized into three groups: Control ( Results: Total flavectomy produced the greatest biomechanical alterations across all loading directions. Compared with controls, the Laminotomy + Flavectomy group demonstrated significantly increased displacement in axial compression ( Conclusion: Total removal of the LF significantly increases motion and decreases stiffness under multiple loading conditions, highlighting its essential role in posterior tension band stability. While laminotomy alone yields minimal biomechanical impact, combining it with flavectomy substantially compromises segmental stability. LF-preserving strategies should be prioritized whenever feasible to reduce the risk of postoperative instability.
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