title: The correlation between preoperative disc space height and clinical outcomes after anterior lumbar interbody fusion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether preoperative disc space height (DSH) influences the clinical outcomes of patients diagnosed with single-level symptomatic discogenic disease and treated with a stand-alone anterior lumbar interbody fusion with two tapered threaded fusion cages, we performed a retrospective analysis of 392 patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Preoperative radiographs were used to establish four study groups based on the patients' DSH: the tall disc group: DSH >15 mm; the intermediate tall group: DSH ranging from 10 to 15 mm; the intermediate collapsed group: DSH ranging from 5 to 10 mm; and the collapsed disc group: DSH <5 mm.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All of the patient groups exhibited improvement in their clinical outcomes. However, patients in the collapsed disc group (DSH of <5 mm) tended to have earlier and greater improvement in Oswestry Disability Index scores, Physical Component Summary scores of the Short Form-36, and Visual Analog Scale scores for low back pain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Symptomatic disc degeneration can be readily identified with plain radiographic findings, and patients' symptoms can often be relieved predictably with a stand-alone interbody fusion procedure.
authors.affiliation: Virginia Spine Institute, Reston, VA, USA.
authors.forename: Thomas C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Schuler
authors.forename: J Kenneth
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Burkus
authors.forename: Matthew F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Gornet
authors.forename: Brian R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Subach
authors.forename: Thomas A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Zdeblick
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D013123:Spinal Fusion; D016896:Treatment Outcome