Abstract
Background Lateral mass intrapedicular screw(LMIS) fixation was introduced in 2021 as an alternative
method for the fixation of subaxial cervical spines for the treatment of various cervical
spine disease. The objective of this study is to provide a short- to medium-term result
of the 20 patients who underwent cervical spine fixation using LMIS.
Methods Twenty patients with varying cervical spine pathology who underwent cervical spine
fixation using LMIS in a 21-month period were included in the study. Postoperative
computed tomography (CT) imaging was used to evaluate the screw placement.
Results A total of 105 screws were used. The average screw size used was 3.5 × 14 mm. The
average screw angle in the axial plane was 18 degrees. Five screws had breached the
inner cortex of the vertebral canal. None of the patients had any postsurgical neurologic
deficit. Fifteen screws did not reach the pedicle. Intraoperative fixation was excellent
and no screw showed signs of loosening in the subsequent follow-up imaging.
Conclusion LMIS is a good alternative to the commonly used methods for subaxial cervical spine
fixation and is worth considering in many patients.
Keywords
cervical spine surgery - lateral mass intrapedicular screw fixation - cervical spine
fixation - LMIS
