Neurovascular complications of cervical pedicle screw fixation. 2012

Kadir Kotil, and Mustafa Ali Akçetin, and Yildiray Savas
Department of Neurosurgery, Istanbul Educational and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. kadirkotil@gmail.com

We rarely use the cervical transpedicular fixation (CPF) technique in the neurosurgery departments of the authors' institutions because the pedicle is thin and there is a risk of neurovascular damage. In this study we investigated postoperative neurovascular injury caused by the transpedicular screws of 210 pedicles in 45 patients on whom we performed CPF for various cervical pathologies. Fixation was performed between C3 and C7, and the iliac crest and lamina were used as autografts for fusion. In 205 of 210 pedicles (97.6%), the screws were in the correct position, while a non-critical lateral orientation was detected in three pedicles (1.4%). Two screws (one in each of two patients) were positioned inappropriately (0.9%, Grade 3), unilaterally and directly in the vertebral foramen, as shown on postoperative CT scans; blood circulation was normal on angiography. The fusion rate was 100%. The average screw length used for C3 to C7 was 32 mm. The patients were followed up for an average of 35.7 months (range: 17-60 months). There was no morbidity or mortality in our study. We concluded that CPF provides very strong cervical spine fixation but also carries a risk of pedicle perforation without neurovascular injury. However, a free-hand technique performed by an experienced surgeon is acceptable for CPF for various cervical pathologies.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D011183 Postoperative Complications Pathologic processes that affect patients after a surgical procedure. They may or may not be related to the disease for which the surgery was done, and they may or may not be direct results of the surgery. Complication, Postoperative,Complications, Postoperative,Postoperative Complication
D001863 Bone Screws Specialized devices used in ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY to repair bone fractures. Bone Screw,Screw, Bone,Screws, Bone
D002574 Cervical Vertebrae The first seven VERTEBRAE of the SPINAL COLUMN, which correspond to the VERTEBRAE of the NECK. Cervical Spine,Cervical Spines,Spine, Cervical,Vertebrae, Cervical
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D000368 Aged A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available. Elderly
D012189 Retrospective Studies Studies used to test etiologic hypotheses in which inferences about an exposure to putative causal factors are derived from data relating to characteristics of persons under study or to events or experiences in their past. The essential feature is that some of the persons under study have the disease or outcome of interest and their characteristics are compared with those of unaffected persons. Retrospective Study,Studies, Retrospective,Study, Retrospective

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