Bending of the Cotrel-Dubousset instrumentation after direct trauma : A case report

Case report. To describe a fracture through the fusion mass of a spine that had been corrected previously with Cotrel-Dubousset rods. These rods had failed in bending after direct trauma. Nine years after successful treatment of scoliosis with Cotrel-Dubousset instrumentation, the patient was in a m...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Spine (Philadelphia, Pa. 1976) Pa. 1976), 2000-04, Vol.25 (7), p.891-894
Main Authors: NANA, A, GUGALA, Z, LINDSEY, R. W, CARAM, P. M, DICKSON, J. H
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Accidents, Traffic
Adult
Biological and medical sciences
Bone Nails
Cervical Vertebrae - injuries
Female
Humans
Internal Fixators
Joint Dislocations - etiology
Lumbar Vertebrae - diagnostic imaging
Lumbar Vertebrae - injuries
Medical sciences
Orthopedic surgery
Radiography
Spinal Fractures - diagnostic imaging
Spinal Fractures - etiology
Spinal Fractures - surgery
Spinal Fusion - instrumentation
Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases
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Summary:Case report. To describe a fracture through the fusion mass of a spine that had been corrected previously with Cotrel-Dubousset rods. These rods had failed in bending after direct trauma. Nine years after successful treatment of scoliosis with Cotrel-Dubousset instrumentation, the patient was in a motor vehicle accident and sustained a hyperextension spine injury with complete L1-L2 paraplegia and disruption of the fusion mass. The Cotrel-Dubousset instrumentation rods, which failed in bending, could not be corrected in situ, and the angulated segments had to be resected. The spine then became extremely unstable, and the patient consulted the authors for definitive stabilization. The spine was stabilized by attaching the proximal and distal retained Cotrel-Dubousset instrumentation to supplemental rods in a "domino" fashion. Crosslinks were added to improve the torsional stability. Intraoperatively, the fracture was well reduced, and the fixation was stable. A posterolateral fusion was performed with allogenic bone graft. Bent Cotrel-Dubousset instrumentation rods are still very strong and may not correct in situ.- If resection is required, the retained portions of Cotrel-Dubousset instrumentation can serve as attachments to restore stable fixation a "domino"technique.
ISSN:0362-2436
1528-1159
DOI:10.1097/00007632-200004010-00021