title: Survivorship analysis of DKS instrumentation in the treatment of spondylolisthesis.
abstract: This retrospective study analyzed the survivorship of DKS instrumentation and the clinical outcomes in 185 patients with spondylolisthesis. These patients were treated with Zielke DKS instrumentation for a mean followup period of 3.5 years. Eight (4.3%) patients had late removal of implants, 25 (14%) had rod breakage, three (1.7%) had screw breakage, and 16 (8.7%) had nut loosening. The survivor rate of DKS instrumentation was 96% within 3 months after operation, 80% at 2 years, and 61% at 5 years after surgery. One hundred sixty-three (88%) patients had solid posterolateral fusion, and 167 (90%) patients had good to excellent results. Adjacent instability developed in 18 (9.7%) patients. Although Zielke DKS instrumentation has a smaller rod and relatively insecure locking system between the rod and screw, it is an effective implant for the treatment of spondylolisthesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan, China.
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.forename: L H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Shih
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001863:Bone Screws / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000592:standards*; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D013168:Spondylolisthesis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome