Abstract
We investigated 11 patients who underwent surgical treatment for rheumatoid spondylitis of the lumbar spine. Instruments were used in all cases. Improvement was noted in all cases, but there were one pseudoarthrosis, two new vertebral fractures, and two disc space narrowing of the adjacent segment. Immediate and excellent symptomatic improvement can be expected for rheumatoid spondylitis by spine reconstruction composed of sufficient decompression from behind and with the use of some instruments. However, complications by new vertebral fractures and disorder of the adjacent segment in later periods occur in some cases.
