Schuler Thomas C, Burkus J Kenneth, Gornet Matthew F, Subach Brian R, Zdeblick Thomas A
Virginia Spine Institute, Reston, VA, USA.
J Spinal Disord Tech. 2005 Oct;18(5):396-401. doi: 10.1097/01.bsd.0000175695.88920.62.
To determine whether preoperative disc space height (DSH) influences the clinical outcomes of patients diagnosed with single-level symptomatic discogenic disease and treated with a stand-alone anterior lumbar interbody fusion with two tapered threaded fusion cages, we performed a retrospective analysis of 392 patients.
Preoperative radiographs were used to establish four study groups based on the patients' DSH: the tall disc group: DSH >15 mm; the intermediate tall group: DSH ranging from 10 to 15 mm; the intermediate collapsed group: DSH ranging from 5 to 10 mm; and the collapsed disc group: DSH <5 mm.
All of the patient groups exhibited improvement in their clinical outcomes. However, patients in the collapsed disc group (DSH of <5 mm) tended to have earlier and greater improvement in Oswestry Disability Index scores, Physical Component Summary scores of the Short Form-36, and Visual Analog Scale scores for low back pain.
Symptomatic disc degeneration can be readily identified with plain radiographic findings, and patients' symptoms can often be relieved predictably with a stand-alone interbody fusion procedure.
