Contemporary Fluoroscopic Techniques in Spine Surgery

Intraoperative fluoroscopy has become increasingly popular because of its potential to enhance the safety and efficacy of various surgical procedures while minimizing the risk of complications. The use of this imaging modality has already been documented for a number of spinal applications including decompression of the neural elements and the placement of instrumentation. Fluoroscopic visualization may be particularly well-suited for minimally invasive approaches such as the insertion of percutaneous pedicle screws and vertebral body augmentation. The objective of this report is to present the state-of-the-art fluoroscopic techniques that have been described for the surgical management of spinal pathology.

Keywords: fluoroscopy, minimally invasive surgery, image guidance, vertebroplasty, kyphoplasty, percutaneous instrumentation