Clinical and radiologic outcomes of single-level direct lateral lumbar interbody fusion in patients with osteopenia. (June 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jung, Jong-myung; Chung, Chun Kee; Kim, Chi Heon; Yang, Seung Heon
• Is Part Of: Journal of clinical neuroscience. Volume 64(2019)
• Page Start: 180
• Page End: 186
• Publication Date: 2019-06
• Subjects: Direct lateral interbody fusion -- Osteopenia -- Disc height -- Intervertebral foraminal height -- Total lumbar lordosis -- Fusion rates -- Subsidence; Brain -- Surgery -- Periodicals; Neurosciences -- Periodicals; Nervous system -- Surgery -- Periodicals; Brain -- surgery -- Periodicals; Neurosurgical Procedures -- Periodicals; Neurosciences -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.8
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jocn.2019.03.004
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0967-5868

Abstract

Highlights: This article discusses direct lateral interbody fusion in patients with osteopenia. Clinical and radiological outcomes were comparable in the osteopenia group. DLIF is a reliable procedure for patients with osteopenia. Abstract: Objective: Subsidence of the interbody graft into the vertebral bodies is one of the major complications of direct lateral interbody fusion (DLIF), resulting in pseudoarthrosis and severe pain. Low bone mineral density (BMD) has been known to increase the risk of subsidence. This study aims to determine whether or not the osteopenia should influence the surgical results in DLIF surgery. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the data collected prospectively on all patients who underwent single-level DLIF at our institution. A total of 84 patients were included in this study, comprised of 41 in the osteopenia group and 43 in the normal BMD group. The clinical and radiologic characteristics were compared at preoperative and postoperative 1 and 2 years. Results: At postoperative two years, there was a statistically significant difference in disc height and intervertebral foramen height at index level between the two groups ( p = 0.039, 0.044, respectively), but there was no significant difference in total lumbar lordosis ( p = 0.179). At 24-month postoperative, 92.7% of the osteopenia group and 95.3% of the normal BMD group were solidly fused ( p = 0.672). All postoperative clinical scores (VAS back pain, VAS leg pain, and ODI) improved similarly in both groups without significant difference. The overall incidence of cage subsidence with >3 mm was 17.1% in the osteopenia group and 9.3% in the normal BMD group ( p = 0.345). Conclusions: Patients with osteopenia who undergo single-level DLIF combined with posterior fixation exhibited comparable clinical and radiological outcomes as patients with normal BMD.