As per a recent study published in ‘BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders’, the use of cement-augmented pedicle screw instrumentation (CAPSI) provided improved stability and less screw loosening, although it was accompanied by longer surgery time, higher rate of cement leakage (CL), pulmonary cement embolism (PCE) and wound infections.

This study by Yong-chao Tang and colleagues focused on investigating the efficacy and associated- complications of using multilevel CAPSI for osteoporotic lumbar degenerative disease (LDD) patients.

Ninety-three patients with multilevel LDD were categorized into the CAPSI group (46 patients) and the conventional pedicle screw CPS group (47 patients) along with 75 cases for three levels and 18 cases for four levels. The baseline data, clinical results, and complications were compared between both groups.

All in all, 336 augmented screws were bilaterally positioned in the CAPSI group. The CL was detected in 116 screws (34.52%) and the overall fusion rate was 93.47%. Only 3 cemented screws were found loosened in the CAPSI group as compared to 33 screws in the CPS group during the follow-up period. Two patients suffered pulmonary cement embolism (PCE), 1 patient increased vertebral fracture, and 3 patients wound infection. CAPSI group had longer surgery time and hospital duration as compared to the CPS group.