The efficacy and safety of ultrasonic bone scalpel for removing retrovertebral osteophytes in anterior cervical discectomy and fusion: A retrospective study

This study introduces a surgical technique using an ultrasonic bone scalpel (UBS) to remove large bone growths (osteophytes) from the back of the neck vertebrae during spinal fusion surgery. The study compares the UBS method to the traditional high-speed drill (HSD) approach, focusing on safety and effectiveness in reducing operative time and bleeding. Results showed the UBS method reduced operation time and blood loss, with similar clinical improvements compared to the HSD method, suggesting it's a safe and effective alternative.

• 1
  The use of UBS resulted in significantly shorter operation times compared to HSD (92.1 vs 123.7 minutes, P < 0.05).
• 2
  Intraoperative blood loss was significantly lower in the UBS group compared to the HSD group (71.4 vs 112.0 mL, P < 0.05).
• 3
  Clinical outcomes, measured by JOA and VAS scores, and bone graft fusion rates were comparable between the UBS and HSD groups at 6 and 12 months post-surgery (P > 0.05).