In the era of modern medicine with an armamentarium full of state-of-the art technologies at our disposal, the incidence of wrong-level spinal surgery remains problematic. In particular, the thoracic spine presents a challenge for accurate localization due partly to body habitus, anatomical variations, and radiographic artifact from the ribs and scapula. The present review aims to assess and describe thoracic spine localization techniques.
The authors performed a literature search using the PubMed database from 1990 to 2020, compliant with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). A total of 27 articles were included in this qualitative review.
A number of pre- and intraoperative strategies have been devised and employed to facilitate correct-level localization. Some of the more well-described approaches include fiducial metallic markers (screw or gold), metallic coils, polymethylmethacrylate, methylene blue, marking wire, use of intraoperative neuronavigation, intraoperative localization techniques (including using a needle, temperature probe, fluoroscopy, MRI, and ultrasonography), and skin marking.
While a number of techniques exist to accurately localize lesions in the thoracic spine, each has its advantages and disadvantages. Ultimately, the localization technique deployed by the spine surgeon will be patient-specific but often based on surgeon preference.
Illustration from Lee et al. (pp 822–829). Copyright Sun Joo Kim. Published with permission.
INCLUDE WHEN CITING Published online November 19, 2021; DOI: 10.3171/2021.8.SPINE21480.
Disclosures Julianne Santarosa is on the teaching faculty for Stryker, NuVasive, Camber, and SpineArt. Noojan Kazemi receives royalties from Globus Medical for an unrelated device. Mark Oppenlander is a consultant for Globus Medical, DePuy Spine, Bioventus, and LifeNet Health. Paul Park reports consultation work with Globus Medical and NuVasive and royalties received from Globus Medical for an unrelated device. Paul Park also reports non–study-related grants for research from DePuy, ISSG, Cerapedics, and SI Bone. Jacob Joseph reports ownership in TetraXHealth.
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