@ARTICLE{Shafizad, author = {Shafizad, Misagh and Haddadi, Kaveh and }, title = {Skipping Cross Links in Posterior Spine Surgery: A Review}, volume = {6}, number = {2}, abstract ={Background and Aim: Given the conflicting and unreliable evidence for using cross-links in posterior spine surgery, this review was conducted to highlight the different features and usefulness of these augmentation devices in spine surgeries. Methods and Materials/Patients: After searching databases using specific keywords, the relevant articles were ultimately selected and evaluated. Results: Biomechanically investigating the use of cross-links has not resulted in unanimous explanations for their effect. The site and direction of cross-links have been rarely investigated in the literature. Some studies recommended eliminating their application from clinical practice; nevertheless, these studies do not necessarily yield clinical benefits. Posterior spinal fixation with pedicle screws and without cross-links offers stability in all the planes in most clinical conditions. Conclusion: Excluding the cross-links in posterior spine surgery may shorten the operation time and reduce hospital costs. Researchers have reported other problems for cross-links such as late pain, device failure, infections, device prominence, and pseudarthrosis which may be obliterated through the avoidance of their combination in a spinal construct; nevertheless, the results of animal models of the application of special cross-links in a degenerative disorder or deformity suggest that diagonal cross-links provide the highest stability of the construct if they are matched with a rodonly system or with transverse cross-link constructs resulting in a rectangular configuration. }, URL = {http://irjns.org/article-1-211-en.html}, eprint = {http://irjns.org/article-1-211-en.pdf}, journal = {Iranian Journal of Neurosurgery}, doi = {10.32598/irjns.6.2.1}, year = {2020} }