ABSTRACT
This is a prospective [38 patients] and retrospective [30 patients] study of 68 patients with sever mechanical low back pain treated by posterolateral fusion [PLF] of lumbar and lumbosacral spine with and without internal fixation. In 38 patients, internal fixation was used to supplement the fusion [Boucher technique in 10 patients [group A] and Magerl technique in 28 patients [group B]]. No internal fixation was used in 30 patients [group C]. There were 50 male and female patients. Their mean age was 47 years. The mean follow-up period was 32.4 months. The overall clinical results in groups [A and B], were excellent and good in 35 patients [92%], fair in one patient [3%] and poor in 2 patients [5%]. The overall clinical results in group C, were excellent and good in 21 patients [70%], fair in 5 patients [17%] and poor in 4 patients [13%]. Fusion rate was 92% in groups [A and B] and the mean time to fusion was 6.6 months. In group C, fusion rate was 73% and the mean time to fusion was 10.5 months. Enhancement of PLF of lumbar and lumbosacral spine by internal fixation significantly improved the clinical results [P < 0.05], the fusion rate and the fusion time [P < 0.001], thus allowed early return to productive life