Test Method for Occipital-Cervical and Occipital-Cervical-Thoracic Spinal Implants in a Vertebrectomy Model
Describes static and fatigue testing of occipital-cervical and occipital-cervical-thoracic spinal implant assemblies in a vertebrectomy model which is simulated with a large gap between two UHMWPE test blocks adjoined by the implant assembly. Static load testing is performed using three different tests including: compression bending, tensile bending, and torsion testing. Fatigue tests include: compressional bending fatigue and torsional fatigue. Fatigue components are tested for 5 million cycles, or until failure.
