title: Easy retrieval of polyaxial tulip-head pedicle screws by "U" rod technique.
abstract: The number of fusion surgeries increase each year which also increase the need for implant removal. In some cases, it can be extremely hard to remove a pedicle screw especially when there is a mismatch of the screw and the screwdriver. Also the screwdrivers can be contaminated during the operation, and this will cause a delay till the instruments are re-sterilized. There is a need for the removal of screws without special instruments. We describe a method for removing tulip-head polyaxial pedicle screws without special instruments. The screws are removed using an Allen key, a rod bender and a "U" shaped rod. We successfully removed 76 screws in 11 recent cases without any complications. The "U" rod technique is a simple and useful technique for the removal of tulip-head polyaxial screws.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Afyon Kocatepe University, Osmangazi Mah 105 Sok No 63, Afyonkarahisar, Afyon, Turkey. kacako@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Kamil Cagri
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Kose
authors.forename: Cengiz
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Isik
authors.forename: Levent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Altinel
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ates
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ozdemir
mesh_terms: D001863:Bone Screws / Q000592:standards*; D004866:Equipment Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control; D004867:Equipment Design; D004868:Equipment Failure; D006801:Humans; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D017755:Prosthesis Fitting / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation / Q000379:methods; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D013131:Spine / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000601:surgery*; D013525:Surgical Instruments / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends*