Technique of Safe Removal for Sublaminar Wiring

Seo, Kwang Yoon; Kwon, Chil Soo; Kim, Chang Soo

Abstract

With the expending use of sublaminar segmental instrumentation, various complication, including paraplegia, paresis, dysesthesia and dural tears, have been reported. These findings suggest that the displacement of sublaminar wires toward the spinal eord during extraction followed by spinal cord damage. The cut surface of Luque sublaminar wire is sharp and has a barb and it may cause damage to the spinal cord. The cut end of Luque wire was inserted into the Intracath (a kind of angiocatheter) 16 gauge and pulled parallel to the lamina. And we found the Intracath followed by Lugue wire in the operating field. Lateral view of spine roentgenogram revealed that the radioopaque Intracath was passed under the lamina in 3 mm in depth. When the Luque wire is removed with inserting into the Intracath 16 gauge and pulled parallel to the lamina, the dura can be protected by the cut end of Luque wire.