Computer assisted spine surgery

When inserting screws into a vertebral pedicle, the surgeon usually exposes the back part of the vertebra and uses his or her anatomic knowledge to align the drill in the proper direction. A slight error in direction may result in an important error in the position of the tip of the screw. This is done with no direct visibility of crucial structures (spinal cord, pleura, vessels). Statistical analysis of a series of surgical procedures has shown that 10% to 40% of the screws are not installed correctly. To reduce the risk of complication, a computer assisted method is proposed that enables the surgeon to place a screw at a position preoperatively defined in 3 dimensions using computed tomography images. This allows the surgeon to align a standard surgical drill with the optimal position and direction. The depth of the pilot hole during drilling also is monitored by the system to prevent penetration of the anterior cortex of the vertebral body. Using this procedure, in vitro tests were performed and showed that an accuracy of less than 1 mm can be obtained. Clinical trials were done in 10 patients who suffered severe scoliosis or spondylolisthesis. The trajectory of the holes drilled in L2, L3, L4, and L5 vertebrae were checked for all clinical tests. Postoperative radiographs and computed tomography scans showed that the screws were well inserted in each plane for each pedicle. This technique also can be used to perform osteosynthesis at the thoracic and cervical levels.