Navigation for surgical treatment of disorders of the cervical spine – A systematic review

Introduction: Computer-assisted navigation (CAN) is a well-established tool in spinal instrumentation surgery. Different techniques – each with specific advantages and disadvantages – are used in the cervical spine. Methods: A structured summary of different spinal navigation techniques and a review of the literature were done to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of specific navigation tools in the cervical spine. Results: In cervical spine surgery, CAN increases the accuracy of pedicle screw placement, reduces screw mispositioning and leads to fewer revision surgeries. Due to the mobility of the cervical spine, preoperative CT followed by region matching or intraoperative CT are recommended. Conclusions: CAN increases pedicle screw placement accuracy and should be used in spinal instrumentation for the cervical spine whenever possible.