Piezoelectric surgery -a novel technique for laminectomy

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Surgical Technology
• Veterinary Medicine

Background:

• Piezoelectric surgery enables precise osteotomy of mineralized tissues.
• It reduces the risk of damaging adjacent soft tissues like neural structures.
• This makes it ideal for procedures near delicate anatomical areas.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and describe a piezoelectric surgery technique for dorsal laminectomy.
• To evaluate the clinical safety and efficacy of this technique in an ovine model.

Main Methods:

• A piezoelectric dorsal laminectomy technique was refined using ovine cadavers.
• The technique was applied to 36 live sheep, performing two-level (L2-L3, L4-L5) or three-level (L1, L3, L5) laminectomies.
• Surgery duration and postoperative complications were systematically recorded.

Main Results:

• Dorsal laminectomy was successfully performed in 35 out of 36 sheep.
• No dural tears were observed; one sheep experienced mild epidural hematoma and paraparesis, leading to euthanasia.
• The procedure was subjectively easy to learn and perform, with mean surgery times ranging from 55 to 165 minutes.

Conclusions:

• Piezoelectric laminectomy is a safe and viable preclinical research technique.
• The method allows for accurate osteotomy with minimal risk to surrounding neural and vascular structures.
• Further studies may explore its application in complex spinal surgeries.