OBJECTIVE To present the accuracy and safety of cervical pedicle screw insertion using the technique with direct exposure of the pedicle by laminoforaminotomy. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed 12 consecutive patients. A total of 104 subaxial cervical pedicle screws in 12 patients had been inserted. We also assessed the clinical and radiological outcomes and analyzed the direction and grade...

BACKGROUND Minimally invasive pedicle screw fixation has less approach-related morbidity than open screw placement and is allegedly less traumatizing on paravertebral muscles, as there is no requirement to mobilize and retract the adjacent muscle portion. The approach-related long-term effects to the morphology of the paravertebral muscles are unknown. The purpose of this study was to compare t...

STUDY DESIGN Randomized laboratory cadaver study. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to determine the accuracy of anterior transpedicular screw placement in the cervical spine using conventional fluoroscopy versus computer-assisted navigation. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Traditionally, global cervical instability has required anterior and posterior fixation due to the superior biomech...

STUDY DESIGN Cadaveric biomechanical study. OBJECTIVE To determine fatigue behavior of cortical bone trajectory (CBT) pedicle screws. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Cortical bone trajectory screws have been becoming popular in spine surgery; however, the long-term fatigue behavior of the new CBT screws remains understudied and limitations not well defined. METHODS Twelve vertebrae from six ca...

INTRODUCTION Technical developments for improving the safety and accuracy of pedicle screw placement play an increasingly important role in spine surgery. In addition to the standard techniques of free-hand placement and fluoroscopic navigation, the rate of complications is reduced by 3D fluoroscopy, cone-beam CT, intraoperative CT/MRI, and various other navigation techniques. Another important...

BACKGROUND Knowledge of the morphometric anatomy of cervical pedicles is essential for the safe and accurate placement of pedicle screws during instrumentation of the cervical spine. Screw placement in the lumbar and thoracic vertebrae is considered as a safe practice, unlike the cervical vertebrae due to the risks involved. There are few reports on this technique. The little available informat...

OBJECTIVE Cervical pedicle screw (CPS) placement is very challenging due to high risk of neurovascular complications. We devised a new technique (medial funnel technique) to improve the accuracy and feasibility of CPS placement. METHODS We reviewed 28 consecutive patients undergoing CPS instrumentation using the medial funnel technique. Their mean age was 51.4 years (range, 30-81 years). Preo...