title: Posterior lumbar interbody fusion with peek cages: personal experience with 20 patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The use of interbody cages to obtain fusion in the lumbar spine has increased noticeably in the last few years. They are used both with and without posterior stabilization. In our institution a prospective analysis to determine whether PEEK cages can be used as a stand alone device has been performed.
  
  
  METHODS
  The 20 patients with PEEK cages had clinical and radiological follow-up with controls at 1, 3, 6 and 9 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The clinical results were considered satisfactory in 75% of the cases. There were no intra-or perioperative complications. There was no displacement of the cages. No signs of unsuccessful fusion were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Interbody PEEK cages fulfill the objective of stabilizing the treated segment immediately and subsequently. They can be used as stand alone devices with the correct surgical technique and following precise indications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Florence, Florence, Italy. nicola.desogus@libero.it
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Desogus
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ennas
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Leuze
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maleci
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000601:surgery; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009984:Orthopedic Fixation Devices; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000379:methods; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013168:Spondylolisthesis / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome