Minimally Invasive Lumbar Pedicle Screw Fixation Using Cortical Bone Trajectory – A Prospective Cohort Study on Postoperative Pain Outcomes (original) (raw)

Minimally Invasive Lumbar Pedicle Screw Fixation Using Cortical Bone Trajectory: Functional Outcomes

Cureus, 2018

Background Pedicle screw fixation is currently the mainstay technique for lumbar spinal fusion; however, more minimally invasive techniques are available such as cortical screw fixation. Numerous studies have proven biomechanical equivalence or superiority for cortical screws but few studies have examined clinical outcomes in patients. Our study aims to examine functional outcomes, as well as fusion rates, in patients who underwent pedicle screw fixation using a cortical trajectory. Methods We retrospectively reviewed prospectively collected functional outcomes data on 10 patients with a degenerative lumbar disease who underwent cortical screw placement by the senior author. Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and Roland Morris (RM) scoring were calculated preoperatively, at six to 12 weeks and at six to eight months. The Kruskal-Wallis test and Dunn's multiple comparison were used to analyze differences in scores over time. Results We found that over time, cortical screw fixation r...

Comparative clinical efficacy and safety of cortical bone trajectory screw fixation and traditional pedicle screw fixation in posterior lumbar fusion: a systematic review and meta-analysis

European Spine Journal, 2019

Purpose To compare the clinical efficacy and safety between cortical bone trajectory (CBT) and pedicle screw (PS) in posterior lumbar fusion surgery. Methods Five electronic databases were used to identify relevant studies comparing the clinical efficacy and safety between CBT and PS. The main outcomes were postoperative fusion rates and complication (especially in superior facet joint violations, symptomatic ASD, wound infection, dural tear, screw malposition and hematoma). The secondary results included operation time, intraoperative blood loss, length of hospital stay, incision length, ODI, VAS, JOA score, JOA recovery rate, patients' satisfaction and health-related quality of life. Results The outcomes showed that there was no significant difference in terms of fusion rate (p = 0.55), back and leg VAS score (p > 0.05), JOA score (p = 0.08) and incidence of reoperation (p = 0.07). However, CBT was superior to PS with Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) (p = 0.02), JOA recovery rate (p < 0.00001) and patients' satisfaction (p = 0.001). In addition, CBT was superior to PS with significantly lower incidence of superior facet joint violation and symptomatic ASD. However, there was no significant difference regarding wound infection (p > 0.05) and screw malposition (p > 0.05). CBT group required significant shorter operation time, less blood loss, shorter incision length and shorter length of hospital stay in comparison with PS group (p < 0.05). Conclusions Both CBT and PS achieve similar, fusion rate and revision surgery rate. Furthermore, CBT is superior to PS with lower incidence of complications, shorter operation time, less blood loss, shorter incision length and shorter length of hospital stay.

Optimized Screw Trajectory for Lumbar Cortical Bone Trajectory Pedicle Screws Based on Clinical Outcome: Evidence Favoring the Buttress Effect Theory

Journal of Neurological Surgery Part A: Central European Neurosurgery

Background Cortical bone trajectory (CBT) is a relatively new technique for pedicle screw insertion in the field of spine surgery. Previous studies have demonstrated the significantly better pullout and toggle characteristics the new method offers, and it appears to have certain advantages over the widely used traditional trajectory. The mechanism of the pullout and toggle characteristics still remains unknown. Purpose To report the medium- to long-term follow-up findings of patients who underwent posterior lumbar interbody fusion or posterior lumbar fusion (PLIF/PLF) at our institution and to discuss the ideal screw trajectory when using this technique. Study Design Retrospective radiologic study. Methods Fifty-five patients who underwent PLIF/PLF for lumbar spondylosis using the new technique between January 2011 and January 2016 were included. Clinical outcome was assessed using the Japanese Orthopaedic Association scores for low back pain and visual analog scale scores. Screw lo...

Lumbar spinal fixation with cortical bone trajectory pedicle screws in 79 patients with degenerative disease: Perioperative outcomes and complications

World Neurosurgery, 2015

Biomechanical studies demonstrate that cortical bone trajectory pedicle screws (CBTPS) have greater pullout strength than traditional pedicle screws with a lateral-medial trajectory. CBTPS start on the pars and angulate in a mediolateral-caudocranial direction. To our knowledge, no large series exists evaluating the perioperative outcomes and safety of CBTPS.-METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed all patients who received lumbar CBTPS at our institution. Data were collected regarding patient demographics, use of image guidance, operative blood loss, hospital stay, and postoperative complications.-RESULTS: A total of 79 patients undergoing CBTPS fusion for degenerative lumbosacral disease with back pain were included in the analysis (42 female, 37 male; October 2011eJanuary 2015). Twenty patients (25.3%) had previous lumbar spine surgery, 39 (49.4%) had a smoking history, and mean body mass index was 28.7. Mean length of stay was 3.5 days, and mean operative blood loss was 306.3 mL. Image guidance was used in 69 (87.3%) cases. A total of 66 (83.5%) fusions were single level, and 54 (68.4%) fusions were single level without previous surgery. There were 9 complications in 7 (8.9%) patients; these included hardware failure, pseudarthrosis, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, epidural hematoma, and wound infection. No complications were caused by misplaced screws. Mean follow-up was 13.2 months.-CONCLUSIONS: As CBTPS becomes increasingly popular among spine surgeons performing lumbar fusion, this report provides an important evaluation of technique safety and acceptable perioperative outcomes.

Cortical bone trajectory technique’s outcomes and procedures for posterior lumbar fusion: A retrospective study

Journal of Clinical Neuroscience, 2020

Cortical Bone Trajectory screws allow a limited soft tissue dissection with mechanical properties comparable to traditional pedicle screws. However, clinical results are still reported on limited samples. The study aimed to evaluate perioperative and mid-term follow up outcomes, clinical results and complications in 238 consecutive patients underwent CBT fusion for degenerative lumbosacral disease. Pre-and intraoperative data, clinical outcomes and complications were collected. The patients were stratified in three groups. The original technique was performed in the first 43 cases without a preoperative CT scan planning. The second group includes the patients who underwent preoperative CT scan for entry point and screw trajectory planning (158 patients). Surgical procedures in the last group were performed with patient-matched 3D printed guide (37 patients). The accuracy in screws positioning was evaluated on postoperative CT scan. The mean follow-up was 32.3 months. Mean ODI and VAS index improved with statistical significance. Mean procedural time was 187, 142 and 124 min in the three subgroups. The total amount of recorded complications was 4.2% (16.3%, 3.8% and 0.0% respectively). Screws entirely within the cortex of the pedicle were 78.9%, 90.5% and 93.9% in the three groups. Fusion was obtained in 92.4% of cases. The CBT technique is a safe procedure, especially with an accurate preoperative CT scan-based planning. This seems more evident with the 3D template patient-matched guide. More studies are needed to directly compare traditional pedicle screws and CBT screws on long-term outcomes.

The Era of Cortical Bone Trajectory Screws in Spine Surgery: A Qualitative Review with Rating of Evidence

World Neurosurgery, 2019

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The Optimal Screw Length of Lumbar Pedicle Screws during Minimally Invasive Surgery Fixation: A Computed Tomography-Guided Evaluation of 771 Screws

Asian Spine Journal, 2019

A retrospective study of radiographic parameters of patients who underwent lumbar spinal pedicle screw insertion. Purpose: The optimal length of pedicle screws is often determined by the lateral radiograph during minimally invasive surgery (MIS). Compared with open techniques, measuring the precise length of screws or assessing the cortical breach is challenging. This study aims to ascertain the optimal pedicle screw lengths on intraoperative lateral radiographs for L1-L5. Overview of Literature: Research has revealed that optimal pedicle screw length is essential to optimize fixation, especially in osteoporotic patients; however, it must be balanced against unintentional breach of the anterior cortex, risking injury to adjacent neurovascular structures as demonstrated by case reports. Methods: We reviewed intra-and postoperative computed tomography scans of 225 patients who underwent lumbar pedicle screw insertion to ascertain which of the inserted screws were 'optimal screws.' The corresponding lengths of these screws were analyzed on postoperative lateral radiographs to ascertain the ideal position that a screw should attain (expressed as a percentage of the entire vertebral body length). Results: We reviewed 880 screws of which 771 were optimal screws. We noted a decreasing trend in average optimal percentages of insertion into the vertebral body for pedicle screws going from L1 (average=87.60%) to L5 (average=78.87%). The subgroup analysis revealed that there was an increasing percentage of screws directed in a straight trajectory from L1 to L5, compared to a medially directed trajectory. Conclusions: During MIS pedicle screw fixation, this study recommends that pedicle screws should not exceed 85% of the vertebral body length on the lateral view for L1, 80% for L2-L4, and 75% for L5; this will minimize the risk of anterior cortical breach yet maximize pedicle screw purchase for fixation stability.

Systematic review of cortical bone trajectory versus pedicle screw techniques for lumbosacral spine fusion

Journal of spine surgery (Hong Kong), 2017

Fusion of the lumbosacral spine is a common surgical procedure to address a range of spinal pathologies. Fixation in lumbar fusion has traditionally been performed using pedicle screw (PS) augmentation. However, an alternative method of screw insertion via cortical bone trajectory (CBT) has been advocated as a less invasive approach which improves initial fixation and reduces neurovascular injury. There is a paucity of robust clinical evidence to support these claims, particularly in comparison to traditional pedicle screws. This study aims to review the available evidence to assess the merits of the CBT approach. Six electronic databases were searched for original published studies which compared CBT with traditional PS and their findings reviewed. Nine comparative studies were identified through a comprehensive literature search. Studies were classified as retrospective cohort, prospective cohort or case control studies with medium quality as assessed by the GRADE criteria. The av...

Percutaneous Cortical Screw Fixation as a Method for Posterior Spinal Stabilization

Journal of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery and Technique

Objective: Novel minimally invasive surgery (MIS) approaches and instrumentation such as cortical screws (CS) have recently become commonplace for treating spinal disease. CS comparability to pedicle screws (PS) with respect to safety and mechanical stability, however, have yet to be determined. To our knowledge, this is the first report to describe a percutaneous CS fixation technique with subsequent open anatomical dissection and describe its feasibility compared to PS fixation. Methods: Fresh frozen cadavers were used for fluoroscopy-guided placement of a total of 20 percutaneous PS and CS. Standard percutaneous PS fixation was performed in cadavers from L1-L5 on one-side followed by CS being placed on the other side. Open anatomical dissection was then performed to confirm placement and compare pedicle breach incidence between PS and CS. Results: Both percutaneous PS and CS were easily placed without difficulty. Dissection revealed no breaches of either construct, and as such no statistical comparison was possible. At one-level however, a CS was seen breaching the posterior-third lateral vertebral body (VB) just under the superior end-plate. Two screw threads exposed were visualized well away from any entering and/or exiting foraminal or paraspinal neurovascular structures. Conclusion: Here, we report a novel study of percutaneous CS insertion with open cadaveric dissection comparing it to PS, incorporating the advantages of both MIS and CS fixation. Although feasible and technically comparable to PS in this report, further study comparing these two techniques and rigorous patient selection for its application are necessary.