peek interbody spacer

Alteration of the spine surgery with PEEK interbody spacer. Learn about its features and benefits, and how it can improve patient outcomes.

PEEK interbody spacer technology for spinal health

PEEK spinal retainers, also known as PEEK intervertebral spacers, are mainly used in spinal fusion surgery to replace the damaged intervertebral disc and provide an ideal environment for the fusion of the two vertebrae, when the spine is affected and injured by disease, the fusion is required, injury or disease can cause compression of the spine, resulting in chronic pain, spinal fusion corrects this problem by fusing the vertebrae together,

Which patients need PEEK interbody spacers

Conditions such as spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease, scoliosis, spondylolisthesis, spinal fractures, etc., require intervertebral spacer fuses for pain relief, PEEK has replaced titanium in most cases, PEEK has unmatched material properties, light transmission and biocompatibility, making it the best choice for spinal fusion applications.

Advantages of PEEK intervertebral spacers

Osteoid Modulus - PEEK is unique among biomaterials because it has a cortical bony modulus. This means that PEEK can bend and bear weight like bones. Both of these are key considerations, as the fuse will be integrated into the fusion point. It needs to behave like bone to provide proper stability, and because PEEK does this, the surgical team can better predict how the implant will perform after surgery

PEEK's ability to bear weight like cortical bone is also important for reducing stress shielding. Stress shielding is due to the excessive weight of the implant, which reduces the load on the adjacent bone and its bone mineral density. The bones can be healthily adapted to the load, and the implant must not interfere with this dynamic. PEEK spinal fusions don't, so they help maintain the integrity of adjacent bones.

Radiotranslucency- The bone-like modulus of PEEK is a compelling reason for the surgical team, but it is not the only one. The radiation transmission of this polymer is also important for spinal fusion surgery, where precise imaging is a must. In its natural state, PEEK is a radiolucent or invisible material on MRI, CT and X-ray scans. It does not interfere with the doctor's ability to read and evaluate medical images. Since positioning is critical to spinal fusion, clear medical imaging is a very attractive advantage.

Biocompatibility - No biomaterial can be implanted without first demonstrating full biocompatibility. PEEK has been confirmed in this regard, and several animal studies have confirmed its lack of cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, and immunogenicity. In fact, PEEK has passed the most stringent biocompatibility tests. Compared to titanium, PEEK does not appear to have additional risks, so PEEK can be trusted.