A Powered Approach to Pedicle Screw Placement (AAOS Meeting 2014)
Using power tools to create pedicle tracts and place pedicle screws offers a safety profile equivalent to using manual tools—while shortening fluoroscopy times,” said David L. Skaggs, MD. Dr. Skaggs presented findings from his paper, “Safety and Efficacy of Power-Assisted Pedicle Tract Preparation and Pedicle Screw Placement,” yesterday.
“A survey conducted by the Scoliosis Research Society in 2011 found that spine surgeons have increased rates of overuse injuries compared to the general public,” Dr. Skaggs explained. “So I began to investigate the idea of using power tools to place pedicle screws.
Dr. Skaggs’ team retrospectively reviewed his patient records to find every complication related to pedicle screw placement. The study covered 442 cases and 6,412 pedicle screws. Overall, 159 patients (1,870 screws) underwent procedures using manual tools between January 2004 and June 2007, while 283 patients (4,542 screws) had their procedures conducted with power tools between January 2008 and August 2012. A screw was considered to have failed if the patient returned to the operating room for revision or removal of the s...
