Brantigan and Steffee report the first 26 patients treated with a carbon fiber-reinforced polymer cage for PLIF, followed for 2 years. The study asks whether a rigid cage packed with autologous bone can outperform ETO-sterilized allograft in achieving radiographic fusion — tested in a population where 18 of 26 patients had already failed an average of two prior spine surgeries.
This foundational work established the rationale for interbody cage technology that remains central to modern spinal fusion. The study's focus on separating mechanical and biological functions guides current approaches to interbody fusion device design.
Brantigan and Steffee report the first 26 patients treated with a carbon fiber-reinforced polymer cage for PLIF, followed for 2 years. The study asks whether a rigid cage packed with autologous bone can outperform ETO-sterilized allograft in achieving radiographic fusion — tested in a population where 18 of 26 patients had already failed an average of two prior spine surgeries.
This foundational work established the rationale for interbody cage technology that remains central to modern spinal fusion. The study's focus on separating mechanical and biological functions guides current approaches to interbody fusion device design.