J Korean Neurosurg Soc.  1995 Jul;24(7):766-775.

Clinical, Radiological Analysis of Threaded Fusion Cage(TFC) in Surgical Treatment of Spondylolisthesis

• Yi HJ
• Kim NK
• Lee SR
• Kim YS
• Ko Y
• Oh SH
• Oh SJ
• Kim KM

Abstract

The indications for surgical treatment of spondylolisthesis are as follows:pain unrelieved by conservative treatment. Persistent neurologic signs. Progression of the slip or slip greater than 50 per cent. Postural deformity or walking difficulty due to tight hamstring muscles. The goal of operation for spondylolisthesis is to relieve radiculopathy and low back pain, and to prevent further progression of the slip through decompression of neural elements and fusion for pseudoarthrosis. The authors performed the posterior lumbar interbody fusion using Threaded Fusion Cage(TFC) on 23 patients with spondylolisthesis. All patients have been followed for 3 to 12 months. We then studied the clinical and radiological outcomes of these patients and verified the relationship between clinical outcomes and radiological findings. Summaries of the results are as followings. 1) Successful bone fusion was achieved in 20 out of 23 cases(87%). 2) Neurological signs were improved in 20 out of 23 cases(87%). 3) The majority of cases which demonstrated radiologic bone fusion also showed clinical improvement. Posterior lumbar interbody fusion using TFC was useful in the treatment of mild degree spondylolisthesis.

Keyword

Spondylolisthesis; Decompression; Fusion; Posterior lumbar interbody fusion(PLIF); Threaded fusion cage(TFC)

MeSH Terms

Congenital Abnormalities
Decompression
Humans
Low Back Pain
Muscles
Neurologic Manifestations
Pseudarthrosis
Radiculopathy
Spondylolisthesis*
Walking