The prevalence of contraindications to total disc replacement in a cohort of lumbar surgical patients.
METHODS
This is a retrospective review of the epidemiology of contraindications to lumbar total disc replacement (TDR).


OBJECTIVE
To define the prevalence of contraindications to lumbar total disc replacement in a cohort of patients undergoing lumbar surgery in the senior author's (F.P.C.) practice.


BACKGROUND
No published reports have documented the prevalence of contraindications to lumbar total disc replacement.


METHODS
We performed a retrospective review of 100 consecutive patients who had lumbar surgery by one surgeon between September and December 2002. Procedures performed and contraindications to TDR were recorded. Contraindications to TDR included central or lateral recess stenosis, facet arthrosis, spondylolysis or spondylolisthesis, herniated nucleus pulposus with radiculopathy, scoliosis, osteoporosis, and postsurgical pseudarthrosis or deficiency of posterior elements. Patients were divided into fusion and nonfusion groups. The percentage of patients without contraindications to TDR was calculated.


RESULTS
Of 100 patients, 56 had fusions and 44 had nonfusion surgery. In the fusion group, 56 of 56 patients had contraindications to TDR. In the nonfusion group, 11% (5 of 44) were candidates for TDR. Overall, 5% of patients in this series were candidates for TDR. The average number of contraindications to TDR was 2.48 (range, 0-5).


CONCLUSIONS
Predictions that TDR will replace fusion are premature. A small percentage (5%) of the patients currently indicated for lumbar surgery at our institution have no contraindications to TDR. Future growth in TDR implantation will result from the indication of patients for surgery who would not be indicated today or from the elimination of current contraindications.
Huang
Russel C
RC
Hospital for Special Surgery, Spine Surgery Service, New York, NY, USA. russelhuang@yahoo.com
Lim
Moe R
MR
Girardi
Federico P
FP
Cammisa
Frank P
FP
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies