OBJECTIVETo evaluate the initial dislocation resistance of the pullout force of different material or different type of goats thoracic hemi-epiphyseal compression staples.

METHODSAccording to the measuring anatomic data of thoracic vertebra (T6 approximately T11) specimens in goats (age 2 approximately 3 months), we designed stainless steel staple whose original distances between two opened prone were 10 mm and three kinds of shape memory alloy (SMA) staples whose original distances between two opened prone were respectively 5.0, 6.5 and 8.0 mm. Four specimens were used and each was cut into three functional spinal units (FSU) of T6 - T7, T8 - T9 and T10 - T11, then FSU were redistributed. Stainless steel staples and SMA staples were implanted into both sides of FSU. There were four groups: group I was stainless steel staples. group II was SMA of 5.0 mm. group III was SMA of 6.5 mm. group IV was SMA of 8.0 mm. The peak force of pullout in each FSU was measured on 858 biomechanical test machine.

RESULTSThe peak force of group I was (20.62 +/- 9.15) N, group II was (74.18 +/- 8.81) N, group III was (51.28 +/- 5.44) N, group IV was (39.13 +/- 7.54) N. It is found that there were statistically different between all groups (P < 0.05). The peak force values of group I were lowest than others.

CONCLUSIONSDifferences of the initial dislocation resistance in different materials. SMA staples exhibit higher pullout force. Meanwhile, the pullout forces were also different between SMA staples, the smaller original distance the higher peak force of pullout.