Potential risk of thermal damage to cervical nerve roots by a high-speed drill.

Autors:N Hosono, T Miwa, Y Mukai, S Takenaka, T Makino, T Fuji
Idioma:Eng.
Data:2009-11-02
Revista:The Journal of bone and joint surgery. British volume (0301-620X)
Lliurament:J Bone Joint Surg Br. 2009 Nov;91(11):1541-4


Abstract:



Using the transverse processes of fresh porcine lumbar spines as an experimental model we evaluated the heat generated by a rotating burr of a high-speed drill in cutting the bone. The temperature at the drilled site reached 174 degrees C with a diamond burr and 77 degrees C with a steel burr. With water irrigation at a flow rate of 540 ml/hr an effective reduction in the temperature was achieved whereas irrigation with water at 180 ml/hr was much less effective. There was a significant negative correlation between the thickness of the residual bone and the temperature measured at its undersurface adjacent to the drilling site (p < 0.001). Our data suggest that tissues neighbouring the drilled bone, especially nerve roots, can be damaged by the heat generated from the tip of a high-speed drill. Nerve-root palsy, one of the most common complications of cervical spinal surgery, may be caused by thermal damage to nerve roots arising in this manner.

Copyright:The Journal of bone and joint surgery. British volume

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Osaka Kosei-nenkin Hospital, Fukushima 4-2-78, Osaka 553-0003, Japan. hosono-n umin.net
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DOI - The Journal of bone and joint surgery. British volume (DOI)
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Temes:Animals, Hot Temperature, Irrigation, Lumbar Vertebrae, Osteotomy, Risk Assessment, Spinal Nerve Roots, Sus scrofa, Time Factors