title: Posterior lumbar interbody fusion technique: complications and pitfalls.
abstract: To assure a high degree of lumbar interbody fusion, four biomechanic principles should be observed: preservation of posterior portion of the motion segment (this would stabilize and compress the grafts); near total discectomy to render a larger area for recipient graft site; maximum impaction of mixed cancellous and unicortical peg grafts; and partial decortication to avoid invasion into the soft vascular cancellous bone in a deeper area. The result of 465 cases of PLIF over a ten-year period showed 82% clinical satisfactory results and a 88% satisfactory fusion rate. Various complications and pitfalls related to this procedure suggest that with meticulous technique and close adherence to the established protocol, PLIF can be performed safely with a high success rate of fusion.
mesh_terms: D016025:Bone Transplantation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000601:surgery; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D011859:Radiography; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*