Biomechanical Comparison of Endplate Forces Generated by Uniaxial Screws and Monoaxial Pedicle Screws

Current surgical treatment of idiopathic scoliosis involves the use of various segmental instrumentation. Various pedicle screws have allowed for improved correction. Although monoaxial screws have improved rotational control compared with polyaxial screws, their use may increase screw–bone interface or vertebral endplate forces if not inserted in an exactly straight trajectory. Uniaxial screws potentially decrease these forces while retaining the advantages of monoaxial screws with respect to better rotational control. The purpose of this study was to compare the vertebral endplate forces with monoaxial or uniaxial screws when being reduced to a rod. Thirty-two plastic, surrogate T11 vertebrae were prepared with monoaxial (n=16) or uniaxial (n=16) screws. Screw angles relative to inferior vertebral endplates were assessed with lateral radiographs. The vertebrae were fixed to a load cell, and loads were measured as the screw was reduced to a rod. Monoaxial screws demonstrated a linear progression of endplate force with increasing screw angle. Uniaxial screws demonstrated minimal endplate force until approximately 20°, coinciding with screwhead excursion angle. As this maximum excursion angle was passed, uniaxial screws demonstrated a force slope similar to the monoaxial screws. The measured endplate forces should be equivalent to forces at the screw–bone interface. The reduced force with uniaxial screws is expected to have less cranial–caudal plow potential as the screw is coupled to a rod for deformity correction. This could have potential implications for screw failure, especially in less dense bone.