| 摘要 |
<p>Methods and apparatuses for promoting fusion of vertebrae are provided. The apparatuses comprise interconnecting plates (12, 14) that fixate vertebrae to each other and provide for a predetermined amount of subsidence where the fusion occurs. Allowing for this predetermined amount of subsidence increases bone-to-bone contact at the graft, which promotes fusion without having excessive settling of the two vertebrae onto the graft. The predetermined amount of subsidence is achieved by the placement of a plate spacer (100) between each of two interconnecting plates when the plates are attached to the vertebrae. The plate spacer has a height equal to the maximum amount of subsidence desired. After affixing the plates to the vertebrae, the plate spacer is removed, leaving a space between the plates, which allows the vertebrae to subside by a distance equal to the height of the plate spacer.</p> |
