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Are the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Für Osteosynthesefragen (AO) Principles for Long Bone Fractures Applicable to 3-Column Osteotomy to Reduce Rod Fracture Rates?

Publication ,  Journal Article
Virk, S; Lafage, R; Bess, S; Shaffrey, C; Kim, HJ; Ames, C; Burton, D; Gupta, M; Smith, JS; Eastlack, R; Klineberg, E; Mundis, G; Schwab, F ...
Published in: Clin Spine Surg
June 1, 2022

OBJECTIVE: The aim was to determine whether applying Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Osteosynthesefragen (AO) principles for external fixation of long bone fracture to patients with a 3-column osteotomy (3CO) would be associated with reduced rod fracture (RF) rates. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: AO dictate principles to follow when fixating long bone fractures: (1) decrease bone-rod distance; (2) increase the number of connecting rods; (3) increase the diameter of rods; (4) increase the working length of screws; (5) use multiaxial fixation. We hypothesized that applying these principles to patients undergoing a 3CO reduces the rate of RF. METHODS: Patients were categorized as having RF versus no rod fracture (non-RF). Details on location and type of instrumentation were collected. Dedicated software was used to calculate the distance between osteotomy site and adjacent pedicle screws, angle between screws and the distance between the osteotomy site and rod. Classic sagittal spinopelvic parameters were evaluated. RESULTS: The study included 170 patients (34=RF, 136=non-RF). There was no difference in age (P=0.224), sagittal vertical axis correction (P=0.287), or lumbar lordosis correction (P=0.36). There was no difference in number of screws cephalad (P=0.62) or caudal (P=0.31) to 3CO site. There was a lower rate of RF for patients with >2 rods versus 2 rods (P<0.001). Patients with multiplanar rod fixation had a lower rod fracture rate (P=0.01). For patients with only 2 rods (N=68), the non-RF cohort had adjacent screws that trended to have less angulation to each other (P=0.06) and adjacent screws that had a larger working length (P=0.03). CONCLUSIONS: A portion of AO principles can be applied to 3CO to reduce RF rates. Placing more rods around a 3CO site, placing rods in multiple planes, and placing adjacent screws with a larger working length around the 3CO site is associated with lower RF rates.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Clin Spine Surg

DOI

EISSN

2380-0194

Publication Date

June 1, 2022

Volume

35

Issue

5

Start / End Page

E429 / E437

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Spinal Fusion
  • Postoperative Complications
  • Osteotomy
  • Lordosis
  • Humans
  • Fractures, Bone
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Virk, S., Lafage, R., Bess, S., Shaffrey, C., Kim, H. J., Ames, C., … International Spine Study Group, . (2022). Are the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Für Osteosynthesefragen (AO) Principles for Long Bone Fractures Applicable to 3-Column Osteotomy to Reduce Rod Fracture Rates? Clin Spine Surg, 35(5), E429–E437. https://doi.org/10.1097/BSD.0000000000001289
Virk, Sohrab, Renaud Lafage, Shay Bess, Christopher Shaffrey, Han J. Kim, Christopher Ames, Doug Burton, et al. “Are the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Für Osteosynthesefragen (AO) Principles for Long Bone Fractures Applicable to 3-Column Osteotomy to Reduce Rod Fracture Rates?Clin Spine Surg 35, no. 5 (June 1, 2022): E429–37. https://doi.org/10.1097/BSD.0000000000001289.
Virk S, Lafage R, Bess S, Shaffrey C, Kim HJ, Ames C, et al. Are the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Für Osteosynthesefragen (AO) Principles for Long Bone Fractures Applicable to 3-Column Osteotomy to Reduce Rod Fracture Rates? Clin Spine Surg. 2022 Jun 1;35(5):E429–37.
Virk, Sohrab, et al. “Are the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Für Osteosynthesefragen (AO) Principles for Long Bone Fractures Applicable to 3-Column Osteotomy to Reduce Rod Fracture Rates?Clin Spine Surg, vol. 35, no. 5, June 2022, pp. E429–37. Pubmed, doi:10.1097/BSD.0000000000001289.
Virk S, Lafage R, Bess S, Shaffrey C, Kim HJ, Ames C, Burton D, Gupta M, Smith JS, Eastlack R, Klineberg E, Mundis G, Schwab F, Lafage V, International Spine Study Group. Are the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Für Osteosynthesefragen (AO) Principles for Long Bone Fractures Applicable to 3-Column Osteotomy to Reduce Rod Fracture Rates? Clin Spine Surg. 2022 Jun 1;35(5):E429–E437.

Published In

Clin Spine Surg

DOI

EISSN

2380-0194

Publication Date

June 1, 2022

Volume

35

Issue

5

Start / End Page

E429 / E437

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Spinal Fusion
  • Postoperative Complications
  • Osteotomy
  • Lordosis
  • Humans
  • Fractures, Bone