1. A Simple and Effective Technique for Removing Broken Pedicle Screws
- Author
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Rong Zhang, Jian-quan Yu, Yong Tao, Qian-xing Deng, Hong-wu Fan, and Peng Zhan
- Subjects
Computer science ,Simple (abstract algebra) ,Pedicle screw ,Biomedical engineering - Abstract
Background: Different methods and tools had been developed to remove the broken pedicle screws. Removing a broken pedicle screws was not always easy. We reported a simple and effective technique to remove the broken pedicle screws in this study.Methods: The Institutional Review Board of the Fengdu people's Hospital of Chongqing approved the study. A total of 34 patients (aged 47.76±8.12 years) accepted first operation because of thoracolumbar fractures in our department and other departments were analyzed retrospectively. They accepted secondary surgery to remove the spinal instrumentations when they obtained bone fusion or bone healing from March 2017 to March 2020. We applied a high speed drill (with 2mm diameter), a three rhomboid pointed cone, an acutenaculum, and a larger forceps to remove the broken pedicle screws.Results: The spinal segment of broken pedicle screws was consist of L2 (3 cases), L3 (8 cases), L4 (17 cases), L5 (6 cases). The location of the broken pedicle screws was within the scope of pedicle. There were no complications about broken pedicle screws, such as injury of nerve roots, severe low back pain, and spinal cord injury. The average time of removing the broken pedicle screws was 13.79±3.52 minutes. The mean blood loss of surgery was 72.06±28.05 milliliters. No other complications happened during surgery.Conclusion: A simple and effective technique for removing broken pedicle screws is reported. This technique reserves the original nail road of pedicle, does not destroy the pedicle cortex, and averts producing the debris of spinal instrumentations.
- Published
- 2021