Loosening at the Screw–Vertebra Junction in Multilevel Anterior Cervical Plate Constructs

Abstract

There was excessive screw-vertebra motion caused by fatigue at the lower end of the three-level corpectomy model. These findings of loosening may explain clinically observed failures at the caudal end of long anterior cervical plate constructs. Longer screws, larger diameter screws, and supplemental posterior fixation may decrease screw-vertebra loosening.