Translaminar Facet Screw Fixation in Lumbar Spine Fusion

Lee, Kee Haeng; Ha, Kee Yong; Kim, Youn Soo; Ko, Young Seok

Abstract

Between January 1994 and February 1996 lumbar fusion was carried out in eight patients who had degenerative lumbar disease by a technique of translaminar facet screw fixation. The goal of instrumentation is to confer immediate stability to unstable segments and lower the pseudarthrosis rate. However, transpedicular systems can carry a risk of neural damage and require a high standard surgical skills. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy and safety, and to introduce the simple fusion technique. We usually used this technique for the patients who had been planned single level fusion without definite preoperative instability. Preoperative diagnosis were isthmic spondylolisthesis in one, spinal stenosis in three and laterally herniated lumbar discs in four in which postoperative instability was expected without performing fusion. A single-level fusion was perfomed in all patients. Fusion levels were L2-3 in two, L3-4 in one, L4-5 in four and L5-Sl in one. The average follow-up period was 20 months, ranging from 12 to 36 months. Overall clinical satisfaction including excellent and good result was obtained in all cases. The fusion rate was evaluated radiographically and all were solidly fused. The time to fusion ranged from 3 to 10 months at an average of 5.4 months. There were no significant complications including nerve root injury, and screw loosening or breakage. Although this study was retrospective and the number of cases were small, translaminar facet screw fixation for degenerative lumbar disease is simple and readily available, and provides sufficient rigid stabilization.