The use of a pre-drilled pilot hole prior to anterior cervical plate placement decreases the size of the plate used. There is improved accuracy while placing the plate and it reduces adjacent segment encroachment.
The use of transfacet pedicle screws is a method for posterior fixation. Bilateral transfacet screws provided better immediate stability than equivalent-sized unilateral or a bilateral standard pedicle screws at L5-S1.
ABSTRACT
Objective: There is a resurgence in facet screw use; however, there is a paucity of data comparing the stability of transfacet pedicle screws (TFPS) to standard pedicle screw-rod constructs at L5-S1. The authors aim to compare the stabilizing potential of TFPS compared to pedicle screws of the same length and diameter at L5-S1 with an intact native disc.