A new study published in the Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine examines percutaneous K-wireless pedicle screw fixation.
The researchers examined 100 screws placed in 28 patients using a K-wireless percutaneous screw system and evaluated 25 patients with a postoperative dedicated spinal CT scan.
Here are five things to know from the study:
1. The screw placement outcomes were as follows:
• Grade A: 87
• Grade B: 3
• Grade D: 1
2. The overall screw placement accuracy rate was 96.7 percent.
3. There was one patient who underwent reoperation for screw positioning because there was postoperative L-5 radiculopathy secondary to a Grade D medial breach at L-5. The patient reported improvement after the second operation.
4. The average screw insertion time was 6.92 minutes.
5. The average fluoroscopy time was 22.7 seconds per screw.
"The results of this study demonstrate that the placement of K-wireless percutaneous pedicle screws is technically feasible and can be performed accurately and safely with short procedure and fluoroscopy times," concluded the study authors.