Clinical Assessment of Percutaneous Lumbar Pedicle Screw Placement Using the O-Arm Multidimensional Surgical Imaging System

Neurosurgery ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 70 (4) ◽  
pp. 990-995 ◽  
Author(s):  
John K. Houten ◽  
Rani Nasser ◽  
Nrupen Baxi

Abstract BACKGROUND: Increasing popularity of minimally invasive surgery for lumbar fusion has led to dependence upon intraoperative fluoroscopy for pedicle screw placement, because limited muscle dissection does not expose the bony anatomy necessary for traditional, freehand techniques nor for registration steps in image-guidance techniques. This has raised concerns about cumulative radiation exposure for both surgeon and operating room staff. The recent introduction of the O-arm Multidimensional Surgical Imaging System allows for percutaneous placement of pedicle screws, but there is limited clinical experience with the technique and data examining its accuracy. OBJECTIVE: We present the first large clinical series of percutaneous screw placement using navigation of O-arm imaging and compare the results with the fluoroscopy-guided method. METHODS: A retrospective review of a 24-month period identified patients undergoing minimally invasive lumbar interbody fusion. The O-arm was introduced in the middle of this period and was used for all subsequent patients. Accuracy of screw placement was assessed by examination of axial computed tomography or O-arm scans. RESULTS: The fluoroscopy group included 141 screws in 42 patients, and the O-arm group included 205 screws in 52 patients. The perforation rate was 12.8% in the fluoroscopy group and 3% in the O-arm group (P < .001). Single-level O-arm procedures took a mean 200 (153–241) minutes, whereas fluoroscopy took 221 (178–302) minutes (P < .03). CONCLUSION: Percutaneous pedicle screw placement with the O-arm Multidimensional Intraoperative Imaging System is a safe and effective technique and provided improved overall accuracy and reduced operative time compared with conventional fluoroscopic techniques.

2010 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 509-515 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cary Idler ◽  
Kevin W. Rolfe ◽  
Josef E. Gorek

Object This study was conducted to assess the in vivo safety and accuracy of percutaneous lumbar pedicle screw placement using the owl's-eye view of the pedicle axis and a new guidance technology system that facilitates orientation of the C-arm into the appropriate fluoroscopic view and the pedicle cannulation tool in the corresponding trajectory. Methods A total of 326 percutaneous pedicle screws were placed from L-3 to S-1 in 85 consecutive adult patients. Placement was performed using simple coaxial imaging of the pedicle with the owl's-eye fluoroscopic view. NeuroVision, a new guidance system using accelerometer technology, helped align the C-arm trajectory into the owl's-eye view and the cannulation tool in the same trajectory. Postoperative fine-cut CT scans were acquired to assess screw position. Medical records were reviewed for complications. Results Five of 326 screws breached a pedicle cortex—all breaches were less than 2 mm—for an accuracy rate of 98.47%. Five screws violated an adjacent facet joint. All were at the S-1 superior facet and included in a fusion. No screw violated an adjacent mobile facet or disc space. There were no cases of new or worsening neurological symptoms or deficits for an overall clinical accuracy of 100%. Conclusions The owl's-eye technique of coaxial pedicle imaging with the C-arm fluoroscopy, facilitated by NeuroVision, is a safe and accurate means by which to place percutaneous pedicle screws for degenerative conditions of the lumbar spine. This is the largest series reported to use the oblique or owl's-eye projection for percutaneous pedicle screw insertion. The accuracy of percutaneous screw insertion with this technique meets or exceeds that of other reported clinical series or techniques.


2017 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. E9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brandon W. Smith ◽  
Jacob R. Joseph ◽  
Michael Kirsch ◽  
Mary Oakley Strasser ◽  
Jacob Smith ◽  
...  

OBJECTIVEPercutaneous pedicle screw insertion (PPSI) is a mainstay of minimally invasive spinal surgery. Traditionally, PPSI is a fluoroscopy-guided, multistep process involving traversing the pedicle with a Jamshidi needle, placement of a Kirschner wire (K-wire), placement of a soft-tissue dilator, pedicle tract tapping, and screw insertion over the K-wire. This study evaluates the accuracy and safety of PPSI with a simplified 2-step process using a navigated awl-tap followed by navigated screw insertion without use of a K-wire or fluoroscopy.METHODSPatients undergoing PPSI utilizing the K-wire–less technique were identified. Data were extracted from the electronic medical record. Complications associated with screw placement were recorded. Postoperative radiographs as well as CT were evaluated for accuracy of pedicle screw placement.RESULTSThirty-six patients (18 male and 18 female) were included. The patients’ mean age was 60.4 years (range 23.8–78.4 years), and their mean body mass index was 28.5 kg/m2 (range 20.8–40.1 kg/m2). A total of 238 pedicle screws were placed. A mean of 6.6 pedicle screws (range 4–14) were placed over a mean of 2.61 levels (range 1–7). No pedicle breaches were identified on review of postoperative radiographs. In a subgroup analysis of the 25 cases (69%) in which CT scans were performed, 173 screws were assessed; 170 (98.3%) were found to be completely within the pedicle, and 3 (1.7%) demonstrated medial breaches of less than 2 mm (Grade B). There were no complications related to PPSI in this cohort.CONCLUSIONSThis streamlined 2-step K-wire–less, navigated PPSI appears safe and accurate and avoids the need for radiation exposure to surgeon and staff.


2022 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
pp. E4

OBJECTIVE The accuracy of percutaneous pedicle screw placement has increased with the advent of robotic and surgical navigation technologies. However, the effect of robotic intraoperative screw size and trajectory templating remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to compare pedicle screw sizes and accuracy of placement using robotic navigation (RN) versus skin-based intraoperative navigation (ION) alone in minimally invasive lumbar fusion procedures. METHODS A retrospective cohort study was conducted using a single-institution registry of spine procedures performed over a 4-year period. Patients who underwent 1- or 2-level primary or revision minimally invasive surgery (MIS)–transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) with pedicle screw placement, via either robotic assistance or surgical navigation alone, were included. Demographic, surgical, and radiographic data were collected. Pedicle screw type, quantity, length, diameter, and the presence of endplate breach or facet joint violation were assessed. Statistical analysis using the Student t-test and chi-square test was performed to evaluate the differences in pedicle screw sizes and the accuracy of placement between both groups. RESULTS Overall, 222 patients were included, of whom 92 underwent RN and 130 underwent ION MIS-TLIF. A total of 403 and 534 pedicle screws were placed with RN and ION, respectively. The mean screw diameters were 7.25 ± 0.81 mm and 6.72 ± 0.49 mm (p < 0.001) for the RN and ION groups, respectively. The mean screw length was 48.4 ± 4.48 mm in the RN group and 45.6 ± 3.46 mm in the ION group (p < 0.001). The rates of “ideal” pedicle screws in the RN and ION groups were comparable at 88.5% and 88.4% (p = 0.969), respectively. The overall screw placement was also similar. The RN cohort had 63.7% screws rated as good and 31.4% as acceptable, while 66.1% of ION-placed screws had good placement and 28.7% had acceptable placement (p = 0.661 and p = 0.595, respectively). There was a significant reduction in high-grade breaches in the RN group (0%, n = 0) compared with the ION group (1.2%, n = 17, p = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The results of this study suggest that robotic assistance allows for placement of screws with greater screw diameter and length compared with surgical navigation alone, although with similarly high accuracy. These findings have implied that robotic platforms may allow for safe placement of the “optimal screw,” maximizing construct stability and, thus, the ability to obtain a successful fusion.


Neurosurgery ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 66 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Guang-Ting Cong ◽  
Avani Vaishnav ◽  
Joseph Barbera ◽  
Hiroshi Kumagai ◽  
James Dowdell ◽  
...  

Abstract INTRODUCTION Posterior spinal instrumentation for fusion using intraoperative computed tomography (CT) navigation is gaining traction as an alternative to the conventional two-dimensional fluoroscopic-guided approach to percutaneous pedicle screw placement. However, few studies to date have directly compared outcomes of these 2 minimally invasive instrumentation methods. METHODS A consecutive cohort of patients undergoing primary percutaneous posterior lumbar spine instrumentation for spine fusion was retrospectively reviewed. Revision surgeries or cases converted to open were excluded. Accuracy of screw placement was assessed using a postoperative CT scan with blinding to the surgical methods used. The Gertzbein-Robbins classification was used to grade cortical breach: Grade 0 (<0 mm cortical breach), Grade I (<2 mm), Grade II (2-4 mm), Grade III (4-6 mm), and Grade IV (>6 mm). RESULTS CT navigation was found to significantly improve accuracy of screw placement (P < .022). There was significantly more facet violation of the unfused level in the fluoroscopy group vs the CT group (9% vs 0.5%; P < .0001). There was also a higher proportion of poor screw placement in the fluoroscopy group (10.1% vs 3.6%). No statistical difference was found in the rate of tip breach, inferomedial breach, or lateral breach. Regression analysis showed that fluoroscopy had twice the odds of incurring poor screw placement as compared to CT navigation. CONCLUSION This radiographic study comparing screw placement in minimally invasive fluoroscopy- vs CT navigation-guided lumbar spine instrumentation provides evidence that CT navigation significantly improves accuracy of screw placement, especially in optimizing the screw trajectory so as to avoid facet violation. Long-term follow-up studies should be performed to ascertain whether this difference can contribute to an improvement in clinical outcomes.


10.29007/qzxg ◽  
2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Su-Hua Wu ◽  
Guo Zheng ◽  
Jian-Hua Chen ◽  
Sheng-Hai Wang

In open surgery for spine stabilization, the pedicle screws are often placed using patient-specific guide templates since they can improve the screw placement accuracy and simplify surgery. However, the conventional fit-and-lock template requires full exposure of the bony structures and is therefore not suitable for minimally invasive procedures. In this study, we constructed a novel guide template for percutaneous pedicle screw placement. Its feasibility and the accuracy of template-assisted pedicle screw placement were assessed using an excised calf spine model. As a result, all inserted guide wires and 27 of 30 simulated screws (90%) were completely in the pedicle. The remaining screws (10%) penetrated by less than 2 mm. The average distance and angular deviations of the guide wires were 1.46±0.60 mm and 1.10±0.84°. Our study demonstrate that this novel guide template is technically feasible and enhances the accuracy of percutaneous pedicle screw placement. Moreover, it may simplify the surgery and minimize intraoperative radiation. Further research on its clinical applications is warranted.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shangju Gao ◽  
Jingchao Wei ◽  
Wenyi Li ◽  
Long Zhang ◽  
Can Cao ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Robot-assisted pedicle screw placement is usually performed under general anaesthesia to keep the body still. The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of the robot-assisted technique under regional anaesthesia with conventional fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous pedicle screw placement under general anaesthesia in minimally invasive lumbar fusion surgery.Methods: Patients who underwent robot-assisted percutaneous endoscopic lumbar interbody fusion (PELIF) or fluoroscopy-guided minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS-TLIF) from December 2017 to February 2020 in a single centre were included. Based on the method of percutaneous pedicle screw placement used, patients were divided into the robot-assisted under regional anaesthesia (group RE-RO) and fluoroscopy-guided under general anaesthesia (group GE-FLU) groups. The primary outcome measures were screw accuracy and the incidence of facet joint violation (FJV). Secondary outcome measures included X-ray exposure and intraoperative adverse events.Results: Eighteen patients were included in group RE-RO, and 23 patients were included in group GE-FLU. The percentages of clinically acceptable screws (Gertzbein and Robbins grades A and B) were 94.4% and 91.5%, respectively. There was no significant difference in the percentages of clinically acceptable screws (p=0.44) or overall Gertzbein and Robbins screw accuracy grades (p=0.35). Only the top screws were included in the analysis of FJVs. The percentages of FJV (Babu grades 1, 2 and 3) were 5.6% and 28.3%, respectively. This difference was statistically significant (p=0.01). Overall, the FJV grades in group RE-RO were significantly better than those in group GE-FLU (p=0.009). The mean fluoroscopy time for each screw in group RE-RO was significantly shorter than that in group GE-FLU (group RE-RO, 5.4±1.9 seconds, group GE-FLU, 6.8±2.0 seconds; P=0.03). The intraoperative adverse events included 1 case of registration failure and 1 case of guide-wire dislodgment in group RE-RO as well as 2 cases of screw misplacement in group GE-FLU. No complications related to anaesthesia were observed.Conclusion: Robot-assisted pedicle screw placement under regional anaesthesia can be performed effectively and safely. The accuracy is comparable to the conventional technique. Moreover, this technique has the advantage of fewer FJVs and a lower radiation time.


Neurosurgery ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 73 (suppl_1) ◽  
pp. S107-S110
Author(s):  
Rohan Chitale ◽  
George M. Ghobrial ◽  
Darlene Lobel ◽  
James Harrop

Abstract BACKGROUND: The learning and development of technical skills are paramount for neurosurgical trainees. External influences and a need for maximizing efficiency and proficiency have encouraged advancements in simulator-based learning models. OBJECTIVE: To confirm the importance of establishing an educational curriculum for teaching minimally invasive techniques of pedicle screw placement using a computer-enhanced physical model of percutaneous pedicle screw placement with simultaneous didactic and technical components. METHODS: A 2-hour educational curriculum was created to educate neurosurgical residents on anatomy, pathophysiology, and technical aspects associated with image-guided pedicle screw placement. Predidactic and postdidactic practical and written scores were analyzed and compared. Scores were calculated for each participant on the basis of the optimal pedicle screw starting point and trajectory for both fluoroscopy and computed tomographic navigation. RESULTS: Eight trainees participated in this module. Average mean scores on the written didactic test improved from 78% to 100%. The technical component scores for fluoroscopic guidance improved from 58.8 to 52.9. Technical score for computed tomography—navigated guidance also improved from 28.3 to 26.6. CONCLUSION: Didactic and technical quantitative scores with a simulator-based educational curriculum improved objectively measured resident performance. A minimally invasive spine simulation model and curriculum may serve a valuable function in the education of neurosurgical residents and outcomes for patients.


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