Spinal Instrumentation
A 58-year-old woman underwent L3-S1 posterior spinal fusion with pedicle screw instrumentation for degenerative scoliosis 18 months ago. She now presents with recurrence of back pain after initial improvement. She localizes the pain to the lumbosacral junction. Plain radiographs reveal fracture of both rods at the L5-S1 level with lucency around the L5 and S1 screws. Flexion-extension radiographs show 4mm of translation at L5-S1. She denies any trauma. Regarding rod fractures and instrumentation failure:
Mark each as TRUE or FALSE
Rod fracture is strongly associated with pseudarthrosis (nonunion), with rod breakage occurring in 1...
Risk factors for rod fracture include pseudarthrosis, long constructs (greater than 4 levels), pedic...
Asymptomatic rod fracture discovered on routine imaging requires immediate revision surgery regardle...
Revision surgery for rod fracture with pseudarthrosis requires exploration and decortication of the ...
Strategies to prevent rod fracture include achieving solid fusion (most important), using cobalt-chr...
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Click T (True) or F (False) for each option