Who needs Pedicle screw fixation ?

Pedicle screws are used to stabilie the spinal column and achieve fusion. Patients with spinal fractures, Instability, Spondylolisthesis, spinal deformities, spine Infections, spinal tumours may need pedicle screw fixation.

Pedicle Screw Placement

Screws may be placed using free-hand techniques 3 or by computer-assisted navigation. 4 The diameter and length of screws vary and are usually determined using computed tomography (CT) scans taken before surgery.

While imaging technology, such as fluoroscopy and computed tomography are considered to have higher accuracy in placement, the free-hand technique used by an experienced surgeon may be less likely to result in damage to the side wall of the pedicle. 5 Such damage increases the risk of injury to nearby blood vessels, such as the aorta.

Pedicle screws can also be placed via minimally invasive procedures through the skin, such as for the treatment of fractures or deformities in the spine. This type of placement is called percutaneous pedicle screw fixation.

Potential Risks and Complications of Pedicle Screw Fixation

Generally, a complication from the pedicle screw is rare, occurring in about 6% of cases. The potential complications from pedicle screws typically include a problem with the rod-screw system or an injury to the adjacent tissues.

• Screw malposition
• Dural tear
• Nerve root or Spinal cord injury
• Vascular injury
• Visceral injury
• Bleeding
• Infection