title: Lumbar instrumented posterolateral fusion in spondylolisthetic and failed back patients: a long-term follow-up study spanning 11-13 years.
abstract: INTRODUCTION AND MATERIALS: We examined lumbar transpedicular instrumented posterolateral fusion patients operated on between 1992 and 1997 presenting: degenerative spondylolisthesis with spinal stenosis; adult isthmic spondylolisthesis; failed back syndrome after one to five discectomies; and failed back syndrome after one to three laminectomy operations (groups 1-4, respectively).
  
  
  METHODS
  They were examined by an independent orthopedic surgeon, completed the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and visual analog scale (VAS) questionnaires and their outcome was evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall patient satisfaction at follow-up (mean 11.7 years) was 82.1%. The reoperation rate was 15.1% (7.5% due to adjacent segment disease).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Group 1 showed the greatest improvements in ODI and VAS values, Group 2 the lowest and Group 3 the highest preoperative values, and Group 4 the second highest improvements. Patient satisfaction scores were 90.3, 69.7, 63.6 and 80.0%, respectively, and unplanned reoperation rates were 6.5, 9.1, 31.8 and 20.0%. Thus, long-term outcomes of lumbar instrumented posterolateral fusion (rarely previously studied) were satisfactory for >80% of patients, but varied among groups.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Traumatology and Hand Surgery, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland. veli.turunen@kuh.fi
authors.forename: Veli
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Turunen
authors.forename: Timo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nyyssönen
authors.forename: Hannu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Miettinen
authors.forename: Olavi
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Airaksinen
authors.forename: Timo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aalto
authors.forename: Juhana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hakumäki
authors.forename: Heikki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kröger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012086:Reoperation; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D013168:Spondylolisthesis / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome