title: Circumferential fusion of the lumbar and lumbosacral spine. Comparison of two techniques of anterior spinal fusion.
abstract: Thirty-two patients with therapy-resistant low-back pain and justified indication for fusion were divided into two groups: 16 patients were treated with anterior fusion of the lumbosacral spine, with insertion of tricortical bone grafts of the iliac crest, and 16 patients with insertion of a fibular peg. Additional dorsal fusion of the same segments was performed. Comparison of the two techniques of circumferential fusion of the lumbosacral joint reveals comparable clinical results. A marked difference in roentgenographical criteria such as disk height, retrolisthesis, and anterior osteophytes in the adjacent segment between the two techniques was noted at the time of follow-up evaluation after 89 months and motivated the authors to abandon the fibular-peg technique.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Schulthess Hospital Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Grob
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Scheier
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dvorak
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016025:Bone Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005360:Fibula / Q000637:transplantation; D006801:Humans; D007085:Ilium / Q000637:transplantation; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D011859:Radiography; D012447:Sacrum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000379:methods*; D013124:Spinal Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D013168:Spondylolisthesis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery