One Level Lumbar Posterolateral Fusion with Autologous Local Bone Chips

Park, Ki Soo; Sung, Joo Kyung; Park, Jin Woo

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy of the local bone graft from laminectomy and facetectomy in one level lumbar posterolateral arthrodesis.
METHODS
Sixty six patients who underwent one level lumbar posterolateral arthrodesis for degenerative lumbar diseases between January 2005 and June 2008 were evaluated retrospectively. Arthrodesis was performed by transpedicular screw fixation and grafting with autologous local bone chips from laminectomy and facetectomy instead of autologous iliac bone, allograft bone or biosynthetic composite bone grafts. Postoperative radiographs were obtained to review the evidence of fusion. A modified Lenke score was used to assess the status of the fusion.
RESULTS
Sixty six patients consist of 29 males and 37 females with mean age 60.7 years old and 22.5 months mean follow-up period. A mean amount of the local bone chips from laminectomy and facetectomy was 13.4g. At 12 months after operation, the average Lenke score was 1.5 and spinal bone fusion rate was 95.4%. There were three patients with failed fusion and all of them were heavy smokers.
CONCLUSION
The local bone graft from laminectomy and facetectomy in the one level lumbar posterolateral arthrodesis is reliable and effective enough to replace the graft from autologous iliac bone, allograft bone or biosynthetic composite bone grafts.