Abstract
A report published in 1999 showed that whether stainless steel or titanium screws were used in spinal surgery made little difference to outcome. However, the smaller number of titanium group patients, who had a shorter follow-up period, skewed statistical analysis in the study. The present study re-evaluates the incidence of complications, especially the pseudarthrosis rate, in a series of patients who underwent lumbosacral fusion with a segmental spinal correction system fixation device.
Of over 1 100 patients who underwent surgery between July 1993 and December 2000, 846 could be followed up adequately. Stainless steel devices were used in 410 and titanium implants in 436. There were roughly equal numbers of male and female patients, and occupation and smoking profiles were similar.
The incidence of pseudarthrosis was equal and the incidence of screw breakage was less than 1% in both groups.
The abstracts were prepared by Professor M. B. E. Sweet. Correspondence should be addressed to him at The Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Medical School, University of Witwatersrand, 7 York Road, Parktown, Johannesburg, 2193 South Africa
