What are Pedicle Screws and how are They Used in Surgery?
Pedicle screws are fixation screws that are placed through the pedicle of the vertebra to aid in spinal fusion surgery. The screws themselves do no fix the spine, but they anchor points along a long connecting rod. The screws are anchored at a few consecutive spine segments and then a rod is used to connect the screws together and straighten the spine. The rod and screws together prevent motion at the segments of the spine that are being fused. Bone graft is then added and the spine slowly fuses together in a straight line (guided by the screw-rod construct).
