title: [Coflex interspinous spacer. Use in degenerative lumbar disc herniation].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A retrospective study was performed in patients with a lumbar disc herniation treated with the Coflex interspinous U implant.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 200 patients who underwent surgery for lumbar disc herniation were evaluated; 100 were assigned to the Coflex group and 100 underwent microsurgery only. A clinical assessment and serial X-rays were performed. All patients were followed-up for 5 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our study reveals that the use of the device was more effective (statistically significant) for delayed instability than the surgical technique by itself (p < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of this device delays vertebral collapse and therefore the instability of the operated segment.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Neurocirugía, Hospital General Universitario de Valencia. athbio@yahoo.es
authors.forename: Ignacio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Arrotegui
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D055959:Intervertebral Disc Degeneration / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation; D012189:Retrospective Studies