Not All Spinal Rods Are Created Equal: Unexpected Variability

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A new biomechanical study out of the University of California-San Diego and Rady Children’s Hospital–San Diego calls into question a common assumption in spinal deformity surgery: that spinal rods of the same diameter and material from different suppliers are mechanically equivalent.

Published in the May 25, 2025 edition of the Journal of Orthopaedic Research, the study—“Variation in Mechanical Properties of 5.5 mm Cobalt Chromium and Titanium Spinal Rods Across Suppliers”—evaluated mechanical properties of commonly used 5.5 mm spinal rods from multiple manufacturers, revealing significant variation in flexural behavior.