Posterior lumbar interbody fusion of the lumbo-sacral spine - treatment outcomes

Abstract

Background: [corrected] The purpose of this article was to analyze treatment outcomes after lumbo-sacral spinal fixation by posterior lumbar interbody fusion using titanium threaded cages in the course of discopathy.

Material and methods: From 2000 to 2002 a group of 15 patients underwent lumbo-sacral spinal fixation by posterior lumbar interbody fusion. The indications for surgical treatment included lumbar discopathy, degenerative disc disease, recurrent disc herniation, and spondylolisthesis. The mean age was 44.9 years. The follow-up period was from 12 to 24 months. In all cases the cages were implanted by laminectomy with facetectomy.

Results: In 73.3% of the cases the outcome was good or very good, and in 13.4% of cases unsatisfactory. The only complication was hematoma in the surgical wound.

Conclusions: Posterior lumbar interbody fusion using a titanium threaded cage is a safe and useful technique for the treatment of lumbar spine instability with or without neural compression. The small number of patients studied prevents further generalization.