The neurological complications of segmental sublaminar stabilization
that have been reported by other authors led us to perform a
cineradiographic study of the pathways in the spinal canal that were taken
by wires as they were being removed. The single wires were removed by
pulling on the wire while keeping the wire perpendicular to the lamina; by
winding the wire on the wire-extractor, with the wire being kept as nearly
parallel with the lamina as possible (the roll-up technique); or by pulling
on the wire while keeping the wire parallel with the lamina. During
removal, thirty-four single wires conformed to the lamina and forty-one
single wires compressed the dura. The roll-up technique caused the most
erratic pathways. Double wires, although they were removed together,
assumed independent pathways unless a wire-extractor guide was used. These
findings suggest that the removal of sublaminar wires may cause dural
compression in the clinical situation.