Changing rod stiffness to moderate stress of adjacent disc in oblique lumbar interbody fusion - a finite element analysis

Abstract Background OLIF (oblique lumbar interbody fusion) is a minimally invasive surgery to treat spinal instability. However, clinical studies indicated the early degeneration of adjacent segments after surgery. The rod stiffness of OLIF was associated with change at adjacent segments. Therefore,...

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Main Authors: Po-Hsin Chou, Jing-Jie Chen, Chen-Sheng Chen, Shih-Tien Wang, Chien-Lin Liu, Shih-Liang Shih
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-03-01
Series:BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-025-08504-3
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author Po-Hsin Chou
Jing-Jie Chen
Chen-Sheng Chen
Shih-Tien Wang
Chien-Lin Liu
Shih-Liang Shih
author_facet Po-Hsin Chou
Jing-Jie Chen
Chen-Sheng Chen
Shih-Tien Wang
Chien-Lin Liu
Shih-Liang Shih
author_sort Po-Hsin Chou
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background OLIF (oblique lumbar interbody fusion) is a minimally invasive surgery to treat spinal instability. However, clinical studies indicated the early degeneration of adjacent segments after surgery. The rod stiffness of OLIF was associated with change at adjacent segments. Therefore, the study aimed to compare the biomechanical effects of OLIF with different rod material properties using the finite element (FE) method. Methods A validated L1-L5 lumbar spine was conducted in the biomechanical analysis using FE software ANSYS. The FE model of OLIF with a rod was created. Current biocompatible materials for the rod of the OLIF model were changed, including titanium alloy (OLIF_Ti), nickel-titanium alloy (OLIF_NiTi), and polycarbonate urethane (OLIF_PCU) rod. Four FE models, consisting of the intact model (INT) and implant models, were created. Hybrid control loads, such as flexion, extension, rotation, and lateral bending, were subjected to four models on the L1 vertebral body. The bottom of the L5 vertebral body was fixed. Results At the surgical level, while compared to the INT model, the OLIF_Ti and OLIF_NiTi model resulted in a ROM reduction of over 40% at least, but the OLIF_PCU changed about 10% in flexion and extension. At adjacent level L2-L3, the FE results indicated that the OLIF_Ti and OLIF_NiTi model increased more stress by about 12% at least than the INT model at the adjacent segment, but it demonstrated that the OLIF_PCU would not result in stress rise at the adjacent level L2-L3 in flexion and extension. Conclusion The study concluded that rod stiffness was associated with change at the adjacent segments. The use of OLIF surgery with PCU rods can minimize the impact of the adjacent segment after lumbar fusion.
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spelling doaj-art-6dcedc30d49f47e0976336cfe9e8feff2025-08-20T03:41:46ZengBMCBMC Musculoskeletal Disorders1471-24742025-03-0126111010.1186/s12891-025-08504-3Changing rod stiffness to moderate stress of adjacent disc in oblique lumbar interbody fusion - a finite element analysisPo-Hsin Chou0Jing-Jie Chen1Chen-Sheng Chen2Shih-Tien Wang3Chien-Lin Liu4Shih-Liang Shih5School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung UniversityDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, I-Shou UniversityDepartment of Physical Therapy and Assistive Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung UniversityDepartment of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Taipei Veterans General HospitalDepartment of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Taipei Veterans General HospitalDepartment of Physical Therapy and Assistive Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung UniversityAbstract Background OLIF (oblique lumbar interbody fusion) is a minimally invasive surgery to treat spinal instability. However, clinical studies indicated the early degeneration of adjacent segments after surgery. The rod stiffness of OLIF was associated with change at adjacent segments. Therefore, the study aimed to compare the biomechanical effects of OLIF with different rod material properties using the finite element (FE) method. Methods A validated L1-L5 lumbar spine was conducted in the biomechanical analysis using FE software ANSYS. The FE model of OLIF with a rod was created. Current biocompatible materials for the rod of the OLIF model were changed, including titanium alloy (OLIF_Ti), nickel-titanium alloy (OLIF_NiTi), and polycarbonate urethane (OLIF_PCU) rod. Four FE models, consisting of the intact model (INT) and implant models, were created. Hybrid control loads, such as flexion, extension, rotation, and lateral bending, were subjected to four models on the L1 vertebral body. The bottom of the L5 vertebral body was fixed. Results At the surgical level, while compared to the INT model, the OLIF_Ti and OLIF_NiTi model resulted in a ROM reduction of over 40% at least, but the OLIF_PCU changed about 10% in flexion and extension. At adjacent level L2-L3, the FE results indicated that the OLIF_Ti and OLIF_NiTi model increased more stress by about 12% at least than the INT model at the adjacent segment, but it demonstrated that the OLIF_PCU would not result in stress rise at the adjacent level L2-L3 in flexion and extension. Conclusion The study concluded that rod stiffness was associated with change at the adjacent segments. The use of OLIF surgery with PCU rods can minimize the impact of the adjacent segment after lumbar fusion.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-025-08504-3OLIFAdjacent segmentLumbar spineFinite element analysis
spellingShingle Po-Hsin Chou
Jing-Jie Chen
Chen-Sheng Chen
Shih-Tien Wang
Chien-Lin Liu
Shih-Liang Shih
Changing rod stiffness to moderate stress of adjacent disc in oblique lumbar interbody fusion - a finite element analysis
BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders
OLIF
Adjacent segment
Lumbar spine
Finite element analysis
title Changing rod stiffness to moderate stress of adjacent disc in oblique lumbar interbody fusion - a finite element analysis
title_full Changing rod stiffness to moderate stress of adjacent disc in oblique lumbar interbody fusion - a finite element analysis
title_fullStr Changing rod stiffness to moderate stress of adjacent disc in oblique lumbar interbody fusion - a finite element analysis
title_full_unstemmed Changing rod stiffness to moderate stress of adjacent disc in oblique lumbar interbody fusion - a finite element analysis
title_short Changing rod stiffness to moderate stress of adjacent disc in oblique lumbar interbody fusion - a finite element analysis
title_sort changing rod stiffness to moderate stress of adjacent disc in oblique lumbar interbody fusion a finite element analysis
topic OLIF
Adjacent segment
Lumbar spine
Finite element analysis
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-025-08504-3
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