title: Circumferential fusion of the lumbar and lumbosacral spine using a carbon fiber ALIF cage implant versus autogenous bone graft: a comparative study.
abstract: This study reports on 92 patients treated with circumferential lumbar fusions for degenerative conditions. The elected procedure was a circumferential fusion using transpedicular stabilization. Two groups were examined depending on whether they were stabilized anteriorly with autogenous bicortical iliac crest graft (n = 38) or with an ALIF carbon fiber cage implant (n = 54). The patients were evaluated for clinical and radiographic outcome. The minimum follow-up interval was at least 12 months. Fusion rates, postoperative loss of correction, and clinical results, including pain at the bone donor site, neurologic function, satisfaction, depression, and consumption of analgesics, were not significantly different between patients with autogenous bone graft and patients with carbon cage. This study failed to prove major advantages of the carbon cages in the clinical and radiologic outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Trauma Surgery, Medical School of Hannover, Germany. Boris.Zelle@web.de
authors.forename: Boris
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zelle
authors.forename: Friedhelm
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Konig
authors.forename: Alfred
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Enderle
authors.forename: Rudolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bertagnoli
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dorner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016025:Bone Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D002244:Carbon / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077482:Carbon Fiber; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007085:Ilium / Q000637:transplantation*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D011859:Radiography; D012447:Sacrum / Q000601:surgery*; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000077482:Carbon Fiber; D002244:Carbon