THE USE OF MRI-COMPATIBLE TITANIUM SEGMENTAL SPINAL INSTRUMENTATION IN PEDIATRIC-PATIENTS WITH INTRASPINAL TUMOR

Severe kyphosis is a frequent complication of multiple laminectomies f or the treatment of intraspinal tumors in growing children. Early Segm ental Spinal Instrumentation (SSI) and posterior spinal fusion can pre vent this complication, but because of ferromagnetic properties of con ventional stainless steel implants, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) p erformed to determine completeness of the resection and later for recu rrence of the tumor becomes difficult. To overcome the problems with p ostoperative imaging, we have resorted to early stabilization of the s pine following laminectomy with titanium alloy implants. The decreased ferromagnetic properties of titanium alloy result in less scatter dis tortion of the image, thus permitting a better follow-up of the tumor. This paper reports five consecutive patients with stabilization of th e spine with titanium alloy implants and posterior spinal fusion done at the time of laminectomy. The use of titanium alloy implants in thes e patients allowed detailed MRI followup in all cases, and in two pati ents offered the surgical team information that altered or affected th e patient's care.