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Updated: Apr 30, 2026
A Spine Robotic-Assisted Navigation System for Pedicle Screw Placement
Published on: May 11, 2020
Correct positioning of pedicle screws with a percutaneous minimal invasive system in spine trauma
M Tinelli1, S Matschke1, M Adams1
1Department for Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery, BG Trauma Center Ludwigshafen, Heidelberg University Hospital, Ludwig Guttmann Strasse 13, 67071 Ludwigshafen, Germany.
Background:
When performing minimally invasive spine surgery in trauma patients, a short operation time and a perfect positioning of pedicle screws are demanded. In this study, we show that a Minimally Invasive Pedicle Screw System allows both.
Methods:
One hundred and twenty-one patients (131 fractures) with fractures between Th 3 and L 5 were treated. The most common fracture type was A3. We treated 52 females and 69 men with a mean age of 56.7 years. In 72% of the cases, the procedure was performed by two experienced spine surgeons. Postoperatively, all patients were examined using a CT-scan. In 61 patients, an anterior stabilization was additionally performed in 33 patients, vertebroplasty or cyphoplasty was performed. Fifteen patients underwent laminectomy.
Results:
No patient postoperatively developed any additional neurological compromise. In total, 682 screws were placed. In the postoperative CT-scan, we found 16 screws (2.2%) in suboptimal position, 8 with medial and 8 with lateral deviation.
Discussion:
With the Minimally Invasive Pedicle Screw System used in this study, spinal fractures can be treated in a short operation time with percutaneous stabilization and a correct positioning of the pedicle screws in almost 98%. In our study, no screw was so much malpositioned that revision surgery would have been necessary.
Level Of Evidence:
Level III - Case-control study.
