Posterior Sublaminar Wiring and/or Transarticular Screw Fixation for Reducible Atlantoaxial Instability Secondary to Symptomatic Os Odontoideum: A Neglected Technique?

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case analysis. PURPOSE: We retrospectively evaluated the clinical and radiological outcomes of posterior sublaminar wiring (PSLW) and/or transarticular screw fixation (TASF) for reducible atlantoaxial instability (AAI) secondary to os odontoideum. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: Limited information is available about the surgical outcomes of symptomatic os odontoideum with AAI. METHODS: We examined 23 patients (12 women and 11 men) with os odontoideum and reducible AAI. The average age of the patients at the time of the operation was 44.2 years. The average follow-up duration was 4.5 years. Thirteen patients with anterior AAI underwent PSLW alone, while 10 patients with combined (anterior+posterior) AAI underwent PSLW and TASF. An autogenous iliac bone graft was used for all patients. Nine patients complained of neck or suboccipital pain, and 14 complained of myelopathy. RESULTS: Angulational instability (preoperative 18.7°±8.9° vs. postoperative 2.1°±4.6°, p<0.001), translational instability (16.3±4.9 mm vs. 1.8±2.2 mm, p<0.001), and segmental angle of the C1–C2 joint (23.7°±7.2° vs. 28.4°±3.8°, p<0.05) showed significant improvement postoperatively. Neck Visual Analog Scale score (6.2±2.4 vs. 2.5±1.8, p<0.05) and the modified Japanese Orthopedic Association (9.1±3.1 vs. 13.2±2.6, p<0.05) score also improved, with a recovery rate of 51.8%. Among the three patients who developed nonunion and/or wire breakage, one underwent revision surgery with repeat PSLW and was finally able to achieve fusion. The final fusion rate was 91.3%. CONCLUSIONS: PSLW and/or TASF provided satisfactory clinical and radiological outcomes in reducible AAI secondary to os odontoideum without significant neurological complications. Our results suggest that PSLW and/or TASF can be considered a viable surgical option over segmental fixation in highly selected cases of os odontoideum with reducible AAI.

Old and New Fashion: Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery for Adjacent Segmental Spinal Stenosis after Luque Sublaminar Wiring and Posterolateral Fusion: Case Report

STUDY DESIGN: A case report. OBJECTIVES: To report a rare case of minimally invasive spine surgery after sublaminar wiring fixation with Luque rods. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: In the past, sublaminar wiring fixation with Luque rods was believed to be an effective fixation method; however, the development of transpedicular fixation resulted in the discontinuation of this method. Currently, instead of classical surgery using a broad incision, minimally invasive spine surgery is performed, which has a multitude of advantages. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Initially, the patient underwent Luque sublaminar wiring and posterolateral fusion. After 25 years, minimally invasive TLIF and percutaneous transpedicular fixation were performed for the adjacent segmental spinal stenosis. RESULTS: A good bone union is developing with an excellent clinical outcome, 14 months after the surgery. CONCLUSIONS: We report a very rare case of a patient who underwent Luque sublaminar wiring and then, 25 years later, had spine surgery with minimally invasive techniques.

Harrington Instrumentation with Sublaminar Wiring for the Fracutures and Dislocations of Thoracic and Lumbar Spine / 대한정형외과학회잡지

For the evaluation of the clinical and radiologicaI result in the surgical reduction and internal stabilization of the fracture-dislocations in the thoracic and lumbar area, the authors analysed the 39 patients who were treated with Harrington instrumentation supplemented by segmental sublaminar wiring and were follow up 24 months in average. l. Indications for the operation were: compression type with more than 50% of body wedging, bursting type with less than 30% of canal involvement without cord injury, fracture-dislocation type with instability and any type with complete cord injury. 2. Amount of fusion were 6 segments in 25 cases, 7 segments in 11 cases, 5, 8 and 10 segments in 1 case each. 3. Among 31 cases whose lumbar segment were involved in fusion, numbers of movable lumbar motion segments were three or less in 26 and two or less in 8. 4. Angular deformity were changed from 27 preoperatively to 8 postoperatively and to 12 at the end of follow up. Wedging amount of anterior vertebral height were 53% preoperatively, 23% postoperatively and 27% at the end of follow up. 5. External support were applied for 4 months in 35 cases; Taylor brace in 22, TLSO in 10 and body cast in 3. Ambulation was started within a week according to the general status. 6. Solid bony union were observed in 38 cases within 4 months period. Dislodgement of instrumentation and deep infection in one each patient were observed as operative complications. 7. Among 21 cases with cord injury symptoms, 18 cases with complete type showed no neurological recovery, but 3 cases with incomplete type showed complete recovery. It is concluded that the Harrington instrumentation with sublaminar wiring is an effective method of reduction and stabilization for the fracture and dislocations of the thoracic and lumbar spine. On the other hand, the operation is an extensive procedure with significant involvement of lumbar motion segments.

Technique of Safe Removal for Sublaminar Wiring / 대한정형외과학회잡지

With the expending use of sublaminar segmental instrumentation, various complication, including paraplegia, paresis, dysesthesia and dural tears, have been reported. These findings suggest that the displacement of sublaminar wires toward the spinal eord during extraction followed by spinal cord damage. The cut surface of Luque sublaminar wire is sharp and has a barb and it may cause damage to the spinal cord. The cut end of Luque wire was inserted into the Intracath (a kind of angiocatheter) 16 gauge and pulled parallel to the lamina. And we found the Intracath followed by Lugue wire in the operating field. Lateral view of spine roentgenogram revealed that the radioopaque Intracath was passed under the lamina in 3 mm in depth. When the Luque wire is removed with inserting into the Intracath 16 gauge and pulled parallel to the lamina, the dura can be protected by the cut end of Luque wire.