Percutaneous thoracic pedicle screws

Abstract

Percutaneous thoracic pedicle screw insertion and fusion in the thoracic spine is a challenging minimally invasive procedure and necessitates pre-operative computer tomography (CT)- based planning and/or intra-operative fluoroscopic or CT navigation. Specific advantages of the percutaneous over open approach make it more appealing for select patients and experienced surgeons. Benefits of percutaneous thoracic instrumentation include reduced blood loss, decreased rate of infection, reduced length of hospital stay, earlier mobilization and return to work [1]. Improvement in intra-operative imaging techniques and robotics have increased the safety and accuracy of instrumentation placement. In this chapter we discuss the three options for instrumentation placement: x-ray fluoroscopy, navigated computer assisted, and robotic assisted.