PLACEMENT OF PEDICLE SCREWS IN THE THORACIC SPINE .1. MORPHOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF THE THORACIC VERTEBRAE

Citation
Ar. Vaccaro et al., PLACEMENT OF PEDICLE SCREWS IN THE THORACIC SPINE .1. MORPHOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF THE THORACIC VERTEBRAE, Journal of bone and joint surgery. American volume, 77A(8), 1995, pp. 1193-1199
Citations number
31
Language
INGLESE
art.tipo
Article
Categorie Soggetti
Orthopedics,Surgery
ISSN journal
0021-9355
Volume
77A
Issue
8
Year of publication
1995
Pages
1193 - 1199
Database
ISI
SICI code
0021-9355(1995)77A:8<1193:POPSIT>2.0.ZU;2-8
Abstract
We studied the morphology of the thoracic vertebrae in the spines of s eventeen human cadavera in order to define parameters that could be us ed as guidelines for the placement of hooks and screws in the pedicles to obtain internal fixation. We also reviewed computerized tomographi c scans of nineteen thoracic spines in living patients who had no evid ence of any vertebral deformity. The transverse diameter of the pedicl e, which helps to determine the size of the screw, ranged from a mean (and standard deviation) of 4.5 +/- 1.2 millimeters in the fourth thor acic vertebra to a mean of 7.8 +/- 2.0 millimeters in the twelfth thor acic vertebra. The pedicles were inclined anteromedially throughout th e thoracic spine, and the angle ranged from 0.3 degree toward the midl ine in the twelfth thoracic vertebra to 13.9 degrees in the fourth tho racic vertebra. The morphometric data revealed wide variations in the dimensions of the pedicles, demonstrating the importance of accurate p reoperative imaging with transaxial computerized tomographic scans to visualize the precise osseous margins and angles of insertion of the t horacic pedicles.