Guidelines for the performance of fusion procedures for degenerative disease of the lumbar spine. Part 5: correlation between radiographic and functional outcome.
At the present time, there is no Class I or II medical evidence to indicate that the appearance of a radiographic fusion is significantly associated with improved functional outcomes. The majority of Class III medical evidence does suggest that successful radiographic fusion is associated with improved clinical outcomes. It is widely acknowledged that this relationship is not perfect.
Resnick
Daniel K
DK
Department of Neurosurgery, University of Wisconsin Medical School, Madison, Wisconsin 53792, USA. Resnick@neurosurg.wisc.edu
Choudhri
Tanvir F
TF
Dailey
Andrew T
AT
Groff
Michael W
MW
Khoo
Larry
L
Matz
Paul G
PG
Mummaneni
Praveen
P
Watters
William C
WC
Wang
Jeffrey
J
Walters
Beverly C
BC
Hadley
Mark N
MN
D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D011859:Radiography; D020127:Recovery of Function; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000592:standards*; D016896:Treatment Outcome