title: Surgical management of instability of the lumbar spine.
abstract: The surgical management of clinical spinal instability is for many aspects controversial since the lack of a precise clinical and instrumental definition of instability complicates the implementation of a therapeutic protocol. Both the indications and the surgical procedure are not always well defined. Some of the most common surgical techniques used in the most frequent causes of instability of the lumbar spine: fractures, degenerative disease and spondylolisthesis, are described.
authors.affiliation: Clinica Ortopedica, Università Cattolica del S. Cuore, Policlinico A. Gemelli, Roma.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Aulisa
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Di Segni
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tamburrelli
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pitta
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: De Santis
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery*; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000379:methods*; D013130:Spinal Stenosis / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D013168:Spondylolisthesis / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery