kaçira, burkay kutluhan necmettin erbakan university - faculty of meram medicine - department of orthopedics, Konya, TURKEY , korucu, ismail hakkı necmettin erbakan university - faculty of meram medicine - department of orthopedics, Konya, TURKEY

Is Pedicle Screw Placement for Traumatic Thoracolumbar Fractures Safe with Free-Hand Technique? Avoiding Excessive Radiation Exposure is Possible

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Objective: Pedicle screw instrumentation is gold standard for unstable traumatic thoracolumbar fractures. Techniques for pedicle screw placement are free-hand 2D fluoroscopy guidance and stereotactic navigation. Aim of this study is to evaluate the reliability of free-hand technique. Materials and Methods: 450 polyaxial pedicle screws used by 62 patients were evaluated. All screws were placed with free-hand technique at an education hospital. Accuracy of the screws were graded with Zdichavsky grading system. Results: 397 (88.21%) of 450 screws were graded as 1a (best position) and 1b (good position). Except 8 malpositioned ones positions of 442 (98%) by 450 screws positions were acceptable. Conclusion: Regardless of the pedicle screw placement technique the skill and experience of the surgeon designates the success of the surgery. For unstable traumatic thoracolumbar fractures pedicle screw placement with free-hand is a reliable technique and avoids excessive radiation exposure both for surgeon and patient.

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Vertebra , spinal fractures , pedicle screws , fluoroscopy , accuracy

Fırat University Medical Journal Of Health Sciences

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