title: Image-guided anterior thoracolumbar corpectomy: a report of three cases.
abstract: METHODS
  A report of three cases of thoracolumbar vertebral collapse treated with image-guided anterior corpectomy.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To document the surgical technique and the usefulness of image-guided anterior corpectomy for thoracolumbar vertebral collapse.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Computer-assisted navigation systems can provide accurate three-dimensional surgical information intraoperatively. However, there is no clinical report regarding the application and usefulness of the computer-assisted navigation system for anterior thoracolumbar corpectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  After exposure of anterior and lateral aspects of the vertebral bodies through the transpleural approach, a reference frame was fixed to the thoracolumbar spinous process. Then thoracolumbar corpectomy and decompression were carried out under computer assistance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The tip of the standard probe and the angled rongeur could be monitored on three-dimensional images during surgery, and the retropulsed fragments within the spinal canal could be safely and completely removed under computer assistance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This image-guided procedure would aid surgeons in the complete and safe decompression of thoracolumbar injury.
authors: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Toyama, Japan. ohmori@ms.toyama-mpu.ac.jp
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Ohmori
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Kawaguchi
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Kanamori
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Ishihara
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Takagi
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Kimura
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D019299:Decompression, Surgical; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D013813:Therapy, Computer-Assisted; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed