[Posterior spinal instrumentation image guided and assisted by neuronavigation. Experience in 120 cases]

The authors present the results of a series of 121 cases of posterior vertebral fixation carried out from Sept 2008 to Sept 2010 using Flouro 2D-TC assisted Vector Vision o Kolibri navigator. ( Brain LAB, Feldkirchen, Germany).

The sample included 68 males and 53 females. Age range was 24-75 with an average of 50.35., all with indication for instrumentation by different pathologies.

Patients presenting vertebral lesions of varying ethiology and lesion level with vertebral posterior fixation indication were included in the study. All underwent a CT before surgery, according to navigation protocol, and the images obtained were merged in the navigator with those obtained in the operating room with a Flouro 2D, which allowed a high quality 3D reconstruction to be performed and thus the capacity to navigate in a real-virtual manner. To evaluate the results of the implant a post-op CT was performed and the position of the implant was defined according to the Heary scale. The calabration time of the material was also evaluated, number of shots with the Flouro-2D, and for clinical evaluation VAS scales were employed, Oswestry and JOA (L), as well as the degree of satisfaction and acceptance of the procedure.

A total of 580 screws were implanted, distributed in 62 cervicals of which 24 were in C1-C2, 38 dorsals, 370 lumbar and 110 sacral. Open surgery was performed in 42 cases, MIS in 28 and percutaneous in 51. The presision of the implant was 98.45% with a global deviation of 1.55%, that according to the Heary scale was distributed in grade ll: 2 (1 cervical, 1 lumbar) grade lll: 4 (1 cervical, 2 dorsal, 1 lumbar), grade IV: 3 (1 cervical, 2 lumbar). General average time of calibration per procedure was 2 min. 49 seconds and the mean flouroscopic exposure was one shot at cervical and dorsal and two shots at lumbar level. The clinical evaluation at one month of 121 patients was 8.6/3.0 in the VAS, 68.0% / 23.0% in Oswestry and 6.4/13.1 in JOA (L), with those parameters remaining stable at 3 months in 100 and at 6 months in 87 patients respectively, and the degree of satisfaction between being completely and very satisfied with the procedure was 94.9%, and those who would submit to another treatment was more than 94%.

Navigation with Flouro-2D-CT is a high precision technique that reduces complications of varying severity according to the level operated well as number of reinterventions, radiation exposure and surgical time.