Results of the treatment in anterior lumbar fusion

Abstract

The 41 cases treated with anterior interbody disc excision and bone-grafting were analysed based on clinical symptoms and functional radiograms.
A good clinical result was achieved by 85% of the patients with a roentgenographic evidence of fusion occurred in 58%.
Nevertheless the cases who indicated roentgenographically the incomplete union, were clinically good in 80%.
In only anterior lumbar fusion, the cases with pain lower extremity had the poor result.
In 20 cases operatively treated, the cause of sciatica were identified.
It is suspected that the operation has some influences in degenerating the lower or upper disc.