Spinal Instrumentation

Spinal instrumentation is the broad term used to refer to the metal or plastic hardware surgically implanted in order to stabilize vertebral segments during spinal fusion or disc replacement procedures. The hardware can include rods, hooks, plates, screws, braided cable, mesh cages, and more. The goal is to immobilize a degenerated vertebral segment to prevent or eliminate painful compression of the spinal cord or spinal nerve roots.

Recent History of Spinal Instrumentation

Spinal instrumentation was used as long ago as the 1800s in an effort to correct curved or weakened spines, but it wasn’t fully developed until the late 1950s, when orthopedic surgeon Paul Harrington introduced spine-stabilizing rods in response to the suffering he witnessed among polio patients with spinal deformities.

While the hook-and-rod procedure was initially met with skepticism from the orthopedic community, Harrington persisted and it became the standard for open back spinal fusion surgery. It also paved the way for other, more advanced hardware to be introduced for the treatment of spine conditions such as:

• Degenerative disc disease
• Spinal arthritis
• Traumatic spine injury
• Scoliosis
• Spinal tumors
• Birth defects
• Neuromuscular diseases

Spinal Fusion Alternative

By the mid-1980s, great advances had been made in the development of minimally invasive spine surgery. In 2005, Laser Spine Institute revolutionized the use of endoscopic techniques as an alternative to spinal fusion. Minimally invasive, laser-assisted procedures require no spinal instrumentation, thereby dramatically shortening the recovery period and eliminating the potential drawbacks of spinal fusion, such as hardware failure. Contact Laser Spine Institute today to learn more.