Improvement of spine implant performance through analysis of retrieved implants: preliminary results

A spine implant retrieval program has recently been established at the Implant Research Center at Drexel University in collaboration with the Rothman Institute at Thomas Jefferson University. Engineering failure analysis of the retrieved implants, tissue analysis and medical record evaluations are performed and synthesized. The relevant failure mechanisms can then be definitively identified. The results of these evaluations will ultimately lead to improvements in the longterm clinical performance of spinal implants.