Evaluation of Clinical Result of Transpedicular Screw Fixation and Modified Posterior Fusion for Lumbar Spondylolisthesis

ABSTRACT

During the past five years(1990. 7-1995. 6,) eighteen patients with symptomatic lumbar spondylolisthesis whose neurogenic intermittent claudication appeared within fifteen minutes of walking, but otherwise suffered from no significant disc herniation at the involved level, underwent operation. The lumbar spine was stabilized by transpedicular screw fixation and modified posterior fusion instead of posterior lumbar interbody fusion(PLIF). There were three males and fifteen females and the average age was fourty-seven years(range, thirty-six to sixty-four years). After an average follow-up period of thirty-one months(range, fifteen to fifty-two months), the result were excellent in eight, good in seven, moderate in two, and poor in one patients. The satisfactory result of 83.3 percent of the patients suggested that the modified posterior fusion, instead of posterior lumbar interbody fusion, in which the spinous process, the lamina, the facet joint, and only the base of the transverse process were included, after transpedicular screw fixation in lumbar spondylolis thetic patients would be enough when there is no significant disc herniation at the involved level.