title: Safety and efficacy of pedicle screw placement using intraoperative computed tomography: consecutive series of 1148 pedicle screws.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A number of imaging techniques have been introduced to minimize the risk of pedicle screw placement. Intraoperative CT has been recently introduced to assist in spinal instrumentation. The aim of this study was to study the effectiveness of intraoperative CT in enhancing the safety and accuracy of pedicle screw placement.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors included all cases from December 2009 through July 2012 in which intraoperative CT scanning was used to confirm pedicle screw placement.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 203 patients met the inclusion criteria. Of 1148 screws, 103 screws (8.97%) were revised intraoperatively in 72 patients (35.5%): 14 (18.42%) were revised in the cervical spine (C-2 or C-7), 25 (7.25%) in the thoracic spine, and 64 (8.80%) in the lumbar spine. Compared with screws in the thoracic and lumbar regions, pedicle screws placed in the cervical region were statistically more likely to be revised (p = 0.0061). Two patients (0.99%) required reoperations due to undetected misplacement of pedicle screws.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The authors describe one of the first North American experiences using intraoperative CT scanning to confirm the placement of pedicle screws. Compared with a similar cohort of patients from their institution who had pedicle screws inserted via the free-hand technique with postoperative CT, the authors found that the intraoperative CT lowers the threshold for pedicle screw revision, resulting in a statistically higher rate of screw revision in the thoracic and lumbar spine (p < 0.0001). During their 2.5-year experience with the intraoperative CT, the authors did not find a reduction in rates of reoperation for misplaced pedicle screws.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery and.
authors.forename: Mohamad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bydon
authors.forename: Risheng
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Anubhav G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Amin
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Macki
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kaloostian
authors.forename: Daniel M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Sciubba
authors.forename: Jean-Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Wolinsky
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bydon
authors.forename: Ziya L
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Gokaslan
authors.forename: Timothy F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Witham
mesh_terms: D001863:Bone Screws; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007432:Intraoperative Period; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061214:Patient Safety; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D015641:Radiography, Interventional / Q000379:methods*; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012447:Sacrum; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: cervical; fusion; intraoperative CT; lumbar; pedicle screw; safety; spine surgery; technique; thoracic