Protocol and Results of a Day-Surgical Program for the Removal of Lumbar Pedicle Screw Implants

The removal of potentially painful lumbar pedicle screw implants is a recognized procedure not yet extensively reported in the literature. The extensive dissection required to accomplish it is such that this operation is generally done on an inpatient basis. A defined protocol of pre-, intra-, and postoperative care was instituted in the senior author's practice in 1995, with the goal of accomplishing these operations on a day-surgical basis. …