A recent study of 45 consecutive patients undergoing posterior cervical fusion examined the safety and accuracy of freehand pedicle screw placement in the subaxial cervical spine and published the data in Spine.
The researchers gathered data from March 2012 to September 2013 for patients with trauma, degenerative disease, discitis/osteomyelitis, pathological fracture and postlaminoplasty kyphosis. There were 256 planned pedicle screws.
The researchers found 7.8 percent incidences of conversion to lateral mass crews. There were 14 lateral wall violations from pedicle screws. The article reports a 94.1 percent accuracy rate on the postoperative CT scan.
No medial, superior or inferior pedicle wall violations were recorded, and no patients developed related vertebral artery stenosis. "Adherence to the surgical tips presented in this article may lead to safe and effective freehand placement of cervical pedicle screws," the authors concluded.
More Articles on Spine Surgery:
Is Outpatient Spine Surgery a Positive Trend? 5 Spine Surgeons Weigh In
Biologics in Spine Surgery: Challenges & Opportunities From Dr. Andrew Cash
Spinal Fusions Top List of 20 Costliest Hospital Procedures