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Interspinous Devices

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Handbook of Spine Technology

Abstract

The purpose of an interspinous device is to distract adjacent spinous processes, thus producing flexion and limiting extension of that spine level. Interspinous devices can be designed for motion preservation or for fusion, and the device insertion is minimally invasive. The North American Spine Society (NASS) and the International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery (ISSAS) have provided indications and contraindications for the use of interspinous devices, with careful patient selection being paramount. The patient is typically placed in a prone position, and the interspinous device is inserted between the adjacent spinous processes to hold the spine in a slightly kyphotic position, thus increasing the canal diameter and reducing symptoms of neurogenic claudication. Complications, complication rates, and reoperation rates have been reported in a large retrospective study and in review articles. Complications can result from the design or intrinsic purpose of the device, incorrect surgical indications or patient selection, or incorrect device sizing. Outcomes of interspinous devices and how their outcomes compare with the outcomes of nonoperative treatment, bony decompression alone, and instrumented fusion have been reported.

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Correspondence to Douglas G. Orndorff .

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Orndorff, D.G., Heiner, A.D., Youssef, J.A. (2021). Interspinous Devices. In: Cheng, B.C. (eds) Handbook of Spine Technology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-44424-6_59

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