Anterior lumbar interbody fusion in patients with a previous discectomy: minimum 2-year follow-up.
OBJECTIVE
A retrospective review was conducted to determine the availability of anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) in selected patients who presented with recurrent lumbar disc herniation.


METHODS
A total of 22 patients who underwent ALIF were studied clinically and radiographically. The patients were 11 men and 11 women, with a mean age of 46 years (range 23-60 years) at the time of ALIF. The mean follow-up duration was 35 months (range 30-42 months). The fused level at which the ALIF was performed was as follows: L3-L4 (1 patient), L4-L5 (14 patients), and L5-S1 (7 patients). Back pain, leg pain, and functional outcomes were measured both before surgery and at the last follow-up visit. Patient satisfaction index was also assessed.


RESULTS
Leg pain, back pain, and functional status all demonstrated statistically significant improvements between preoperative and postoperative scores by 86%, 77%, and 82%, respectively (P < 0.001). Nineteen of 22 patients (86.3%) were satisfied with their clinical results. Solid fusion was found in all patients.


CONCLUSIONS
The authors found ALIF to be an effective procedure with satisfactory clinical results in selected patients with a recurrent disc herniation in the lumbar spine.
Choi
Jae Young
JY
Department of Neurosurgery, 21st Century Hospital, Seoul, Korea. madi121@yahoo.com
Choi
Young Woo
YW
Sung
Kyeong Hoon
KH
D000328:Adult; D001416:Back Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D017586:Diskectomy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D007866:Leg; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011859:Radiography; D012008:Recurrence; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013123:Spinal Fusion; D016896:Treatment Outcome