Unilateral Augmented Pedicle Screw Fixation for Foraminal Stenosis

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of unilateral decompression and pedicle screw fixation for the unilateral symptomatic foraminal stenosis. METHODS: The study group comprises consecutive 16 patients who underwent unilateral decompression and bone cement augmented pedicle screw fixation from May 2003 to January 2006. The patients were evaluated by visual analog scale (VAS) for pain and the scoring system of the Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) for low back pain. The result of surgery was also evaluated with McNab's classification. Excellent or good outcome was considered as successful. The patients were followed at postoperative 1 month, 3 month, 6 month, and 1 year with standing AP and lateral films. RESULTS: The average VAS and JOA score of the 16 patients were 7.8 (range, 6-9) and 5.8 (range, 3 - 10) before surgery and 2.2 (range, 0 - 5) and 12.3 (range, 9 - 15) at the time of last follow up. Both VAS and JOA score improved significantly after the surgery (p < 0.05, t-test). All patients improved after the operation and no revision surgery was required. No metal failure or pseudoarthrosis was observed during the follow-up. The success rate was 87.5%. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that unilateral decompression and pedicle screw fixation for the unilateral symptomatic foraminal stenosis is an effect method for obtaining satisfactory clinical outcome. Its possible advantage is shorter operation time and reduced surgical extent. We believe that the reduced stiffness of unilateral fixation was compensated by pedicle screw augmentation and interbody fusion.