[Spinal navigation for posterior cervical and cervicothoracic instrumentation].

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Orthopedic Surgery
• Spinal Instrumentation

Background:

• Posterior cervical and high-thoracic screw placement is crucial for treating various spinal pathologies.
• Ensuring accurate screw placement is vital to prevent neurological injury and achieve stable fixation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the safety and efficacy of spinal navigation for posterior cervical and high-thoracic screw placement.
• To assess the impact of spinal navigation on implant accuracy and radiation exposure.

Main Methods:

• Utilized spinal navigation for precise insertion of pedicle screws, transarticular screws (C1/2), translaminar screws (C2), and lateral mass screws.
• Surgical technique involved prone positioning, rigid head fixation, and a midline posterior approach.
• Procedures addressed instabilities and deformities of rheumatoid, traumatic, neoplastic, infectious, iatrogenic, or congenital origin, as well as multilevel cervical spinal stenosis.

Main Results:

• Spinal navigation significantly reduces the rates of implant malplacement in posterior cervical and high-thoracic screw insertions.
• The use of spinal navigation can decrease radiation dose for the operating team by up to 90%.

Conclusions:

• Spinal navigation is a safe and effective tool for accurate placement of posterior cervical and high-thoracic screws.
• This technology enhances surgical safety by minimizing malplacement and reducing radiation exposure.