title: Posterior interbody fusion in the treatment of diseases and injuries of the thoraco-lumbar spine.
abstract: Background. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effectiveness of posterior interbody spondylodesis with autogenous bone grafts in the treatment of diseases and injuries of the thoraco-lumbar spine. Material and methods. In the period 1994-2003 122 patients were treated in the Orthopedics and Traumatology Department of the Skubiszewski Medical University of Lublin with posterior interbody fusion. The indications for surgery were spondylolisthesis in 24 patients, and injuries to the thoraco-lumbar spine in 98 patients. Results. Intraoperative injury of the spinal dura occurred in 4 patients. Graft migration to the vertebral canal with radicular pain occurred in one patient 4 weeks after surgery. Bone graft incorporation was observed in all patients. There was no breakage of instrumentation or loss of spondylolisthesis reduction. Conclusions. Posterior interbody fusion is an effective method of treatment to achieve durable stability of injured segments of the thoraco-lumbar spine.
authors.affiliation: Klinika Ortopedii i Traumatologii, Akademia Medyczna im. prof. Feliksa Skubiszewskiego, Lublin.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Godlewski
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mazurkiewicz
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wegłowski
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Drelich
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gaweda