Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29654369›Full record

ArticleEuropean spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society2018

Pedicle screw loosening is correlated to chronic subclinical deep implant infection: a retrospective database analysis.

Lukas Leitner, Isabella Malaj, Patrick Sadoghi, Florian Amerstorfer, Mathias Glehr, Klaus Vander, Andreas Leithner, Roman Radl

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In one paragraph

Article in European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 33 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
33citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
8.5field-weighted citation impact, top 2% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

33 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 68 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Unexpected positive culture (UPC) in adults revision spine surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis of incidence, risk factors, and management.European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2024
    Pooled it
  2. A comprehensive review of biomechanical factors influencing pedicle screw fixation strength and the critical role of artificial intelligence.European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2026
    Article
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  4. Risk factors for pedicle screw loosening: a comprehensive review.Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research · 2025
    Review
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  11. A novel rodent model of chronic spinal implant-associated infection.The spine journal : official journal of the North American Spine Society · 2023
    Article
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  13. A prospective study to identify preoperative serum parameters for spinal implant infection detected by sonication fluid culture.European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2023
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  19. Breast Implant-Associated Immunological Disorders.Journal of immunology research · 2022
    Review
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Lukas LeitnerDepartment of Orthopedics and Trauma, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 5, 8036, Graz, Austria.
Isabella MalajDepartment of Orthopedics and Trauma, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 5, 8036, Graz, Austria.
Patrick SadoghiDepartment of Orthopedics and Trauma, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 5, 8036, Graz, Austria. patrick.sadoghi@medunigraz.at.
Florian AmerstorferDepartment of Orthopedics and Trauma, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 5, 8036, Graz, Austria.
Mathias GlehrDepartment of Orthopedics and Trauma, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 5, 8036, Graz, Austria.
Klaus VanderInstitute of Microbiology and Hygiene, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Andreas LeithnerDepartment of Orthopedics and Trauma, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 5, 8036, Graz, Austria.
Roman RadlDepartment of Orthopedics and Trauma, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 5, 8036, Graz, Austria.
Medical University of Graz · AT

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeSpinal fusion is used for treatment of spinal deformities, degeneration, infection, malignancy, and trauma. Reduction of motion enables osseous fusion and permanent stabilization of segments, compromised by loosening of the pedicle screws (PS). Deep implant infection, biomechanical, and chemical mechanisms are suspected reasons for loosening of PS. Study objective was to investigate the frequency and impact of deep implant infection on PS loosening.

methodsIntraoperative infection screening from wound and explanted material sonication was performed during revision surgeries following dorsal stabilization. Case history events and factors, which might promote implant infections, were included in this retrospective survey.

results110 cases of spinal metal explantation were included. In 29.1% of revision cases, infection screening identified a germ, most commonly Staphylococcus (53.1%) and Propionibacterium (40.6%) genus. Patients screened positive had a significant higher number of previous spinal operations and radiologic loosening of screws. Patients revised for adjacent segment failure had a significantly lower rate of positive infection screening than patients revised for directly implant associated reasons. Removal of implants that revealed positive screening effected significant pain relief.

conclusionsChronic implant infection seems to play a role in PS loosening and ongoing pain, causing revision surgery after spinal fusion. Screw loosening and multiple prior spinal operations should be suspicious for implant infection after spinal fusion when it comes to revision surgery. These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material.

Indexed as

Prosthesis-Related InfectionsDevice RemovalHumansPedicle ScrewsRetrospective StudiesSpinal DiseasesSpinal FusionImplant infectionImplant looseningPedicle screwSpinal fusion

Identifiers

PMID29654369
OpenAlexW2796895826

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.