Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 19, 2025
Three-dimensional Navigation-guided, Prone, Single-position, Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion Technique
Published on: July 15, 2021
Transfacet screws using spinal navigation in addition to anterior or oblique lumbar interbody fusion: technical note
Antoine Gennari1,2, Amandine Gavotto3,4, Fabien Almairac5,4
1Spine Surgery Department, CHU de Nice, Hôpital Pasteur 2, 30 avenue de la voie Romaine, 06000, Nice, France. gennari.a@chu-nice.fr.
Abstract:
Transfacet screws (TFS) are an alternative to the classic bilateral pedicular screws (BPS) in addition to anterior (ALIF) or oblique (OLIF) lumbar interbody fusion. Spinal navigation could help the surgeon in technically demanding procedures in order to avoid screw malposition. Although spinal navigation is commonly used in BPS, its contribution in TFS remains unclear. Our aim here was to assess the feasibility of TFS using spinal navigation in addition to anterior lumbar fusion. Five patients suffering from lumbar degenerative disc disease were included. During the same general anaesthesia, we performed successively an ALIF or OLIF and then a TFS according to Boucher technique using spinal navigation (O-arm). No peri-operative complication occurred, and all the screws were successfully positioned (n = 10). All clinical scores (ODI, VAS L and VAS R) improved at 6-month follow-up. Segmental lordosis increased from 6° [2.4°-12°] to 13.6° [8°-17°]. Fusion was achieved for the five patients. TFS using O-arm in addition to ALIF/OLIF is feasible. To confirm our early favourable outcomes on clinical and radiological data, this technique must be evaluated on larger samples of patients.
