The stability of bone screws in the os sacrum.

Abstract

A variety of points of insertion and implantation techniques are recommended for inserting screws into the os sacrum. On the basis of 16 complete human sacrum specimens the following axial pull-out tests were performed: 1. Insertion of convergent measuring screws, 6.0 mm and 7.0 mm in outside diameter respectively, into the body of vertebra S1 using a monocortical and bicortical technique respectively with perforation of the ventral cortex. 2. Insertion of divergent screws into the ala sacralis at the level of S1 with 6-mm and 7 mm screws respectively, using a monocortical technique without perforation of the ventral cortex. 3. Insertion of convergent 6-mm screws into the body of vertebra S2 using a monocortical and bicortical technique respectively with perforation of the ventral cortex. The highest axial pull-out force was reached using convergent 6-mm screws inserted into the body of vertebra S1 using the bicortical technique with perforation of the ventral cortex (2392.4 N). The use of a 7.0-mm screw in the same implantation technique did not result in higher pull-out forces (2274.7 N). The monocortical technique reached a pull-out force of 1657.53 N with a 6-mm screw and 1505.64 N with a 7-mm screw. Convergent insertion of 6-mm screws into the body of S2 resulted in pull-out forces of 537.02 N using a bicortical and only 297.71 N using a monocortical technique. Divergent insertion of screws into the ala sacralis reached a maximal pull-out force of 495.47 N using 6-mm screws and 449.79 N using 7-mm screws. These data resulted from a monocortical implantation technique without perforation of the ventral cortex of the ala sacralis. The results of the present biomechanical study show that convergent bicortical implantation in the body of S1 is the most stable technique for screw fixation in the sacrum. The use of 7-mm rather than 6-mm screws did not lead to increased primary stability. Anatomic studies have shown that a safe area exists in the region of the ventral promontory, so this implantation technique appears to be unobjectionable.