Pedicle screws are commonly used in spine surgery to stabilize the spine while healing takes place. One of the challenges with these screws is that small, repeated movements, known as micromotion, can gradually weaken the connection between the screw and the surrounding bone. Over time, this can reduce the stability of the implant and potentially affect the success of the procedure.

A strong long-term result depends not only on how tightly the screw is placed into the bone, but also on how well the bone grows and attaches to the surface of the implant. This biological connection can help maintain stability even as the bone naturally remodels after surgery.

This study examines whether nanoVIS Ti™ Surface Technology can improve that connection. Researchers compared pedicle screws with a standard machined titanium surface to screws with the nanoVIS Ti™ surface in a sheep model designed to reproduce the micromotion that spinal implants experience. After three months, the nanoVIS Ti™ screws showed greater bone contact, denser bone around the implant, and better resistance to the loss of fixation caused by micromotion.

The findings suggest that modifying the surface of a pedicle screw at the nanoscale may help the implant achieve stronger biological fixation and maintain stability under challenging mechanical conditions.

Read the white paper in our resources section