Figure 1

Clinical background of the study. Radiographs of a patient with an L1 fracture type A3.1 stabilized with an internal fixator and “pressfit” anterior strut autograft from the iliac crest. a) preoperative CT; b) postoperative fixation; c) analogous study specimen (calf spine). For experiments, thoracolumbar calf spine segments were stabilised posteriorly by internal fixator. The equivalent of a cranial burst zone was then cut with the help of a template to simulate an idealized notch within which the block graft was impacted.