Abstract
Objective
The objective was to evaluate percutaneous computed tomography (CT) and fluoroscopy-guided injection of bone cement for consolidation of loosened posterior arthrodesis performed by radiologists.
Methods
A single-centre prospective study involving four consecutive patients (three women, one man) suffering from screw loosening (three at the vertebral level, one at the iliac wing level) after Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (PLIF) treatment was done. The average age was 80 years. Surgical treatment was not indicated or not wished for by the patients. Institutional review board approval and informed consent were obtained. Percutaneous consolidation was performed by an interventional radiologist under CT and fluoroscopy guidance. The path of the trocars was made outside loosened screws bilaterally. Follow-up was assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS).
Results
In all cases, bone cement was successfully placed around the loosened screw. The mean volume of cement that was injected was 3 ml. No cement leakage was observed. No neurological complication occurred. Using VAS, pain decreased from more than 9/10 preoperatively to less than 2/10 the day after the procedure for all patients (p < 0.05).
Conclusion
This study suggests that loosening of spine arthrodesis could be successfully treated by percutaneous injection of bone cement under CT and fluoroscopy guidance.
Key Points
• PLIF is one of the surgical techniques for spinal arthrodesis.
• Treatment indications are degenerative disease or instability following trauma, tumour, or infection.
• Screw loosening is a frequent complication that can occur after surgery.
• Percutaneous facet consolidation under dual guidance seems to be a feasible technique.
• The procedure is performed under local anaesthesia using a minimally invasive approach.
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Abbreviations
- PLIF:
-
posterior lumbar interbody fusion
- VAS:
-
visual analogue scale
- CT:
-
computed tomography
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Acknowledgements
The scientific guarantor of this publication is Pauline Foti. The authors of this manuscript declare no relationships with any companies, whose products or services may be related to the subject matter of the article. The authors state that this work has not received any funding. No complex statistical methods were necessary for this paper. Institutional Review Board approval was obtained. Written informed consent was obtained from all subjects (patients) in this study. Methodology: prospective, observational, performed at one institution.
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Amoretti, N., Bertrand, AS., Gallo, G. et al. Percutaneous consolidation of loosened spine arthrodesis under CT and fluoroscopy guidance by radiologists: a new useful technique. Eur Radiol 25, 1135–1139 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-014-3475-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-014-3475-4