Stabilizing effect of the rib cage on adjacent segment motion following thoracolumbar posterior fixation of the human thoracic cadaveric spine: A biomechanical study

摘要

Background: Although the rib cage provides substantial stability to the thoracic spine, few biomechanical studies have incorporated it into their testing model, and no studies have determined the influence of the rib cage on adjacent segment motion of long fusion constructs. The present biomechanical study aimed to determine the mechanical contribution of the intact rib cage during the testing of instrumented specimens.