ABSTRACT
Background and Aim: the purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the pain of patients with spondylolisthesis who had undergone either of the surgery techniques: posterolateral fusion [PLF] or posterior lumbar interbody fusion [PLIF]
Methods and Materials/Patients: in a prospective observational study, 102 surgical candidates with low grade degenerative and isthmic spondylolisthesis were enrolled from 2012 to 2014. The observed patients were into two groups: PLF and PLIF. Assessing of pain has been done by a questionnaire using Visual Analogue Scale [VAS] scores. The questionnaire was completed by all patients before surgery, the day after surgery, after six months and after one year
Results: there were no statistically significant differences in terms of age and sex distribution, type of spondylolisthesis and pre-operation pain between groups [p>0.05]. Comparison of the mean VAS scores of two groups over the whole study period showed a significant statistical difference [p-value<0.05], although comparison of VAS at three points in time showed a mixed result. VAS scores showed no significant differences between two groups before surgery, the day after surgery and one year after surgery [p>0.05], but the difference of mean VAS scores between groups 6 months after surgery was statistically significant [p<0.05]. Analyzing the course of VAS scores over the study period showed a descending pattern for either of the groups [p<0.0001]
Conclusion: both surgical fusion techniques [PLF and PLIF] showed to be effective in treating low grade degenerative and isthmic spondylolisthesis, but PLIF was related to better outcome with respect to pain control