title: Circumferential fusion of the lumbar and lumbosacral spine.
abstract: Seventy-four patients with circumferential fusion of the lumbosacral spine have been assessed after a mean follow up of 49.8 months. For the ventral procedure, an anterior interbody fusion with tricortical iliac bone graft was performed. The additional dorsal fusion was according to various techniques with mainly transpedicular internal fixation. Forty-six patients underwent a one-stage operation while 28 underwent the ventral and dorsal procedure in different sittings. The results favour the technique of a combined anterior/posterior approach for fusion of the lumbosacral spine in patients with instability and deformity of all three columns, such as fractures and spondylolisthesis of more than 50%. Optimal stability with satisfactory reduction of the deformity may be achieved. The one-stage operation proved to be superior, with less complications and a shorter hospital stay.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Schulthess Hospital, Zurich, 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
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Siegrist
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rubeli
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Joller
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009984:Orthopedic Fixation Devices; D011859:Radiography; D012447:Sacrum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000379:methods*