The use of platelet-rich fibrin in lumbar interbody fusion in lytic spondylolisthesis.

STUDY DESIGN

This was a retrospective observational study.

AIM

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of applying the platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) with bone graft in accelerating the rate of lumbar interbody fusion.

SETTINGS AND DESIGN

This was a retrospective study measuring the outcome of posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) combined with PRF versus PLIF alone in the management of lytic spondylolisthesis.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

Forty patients were treated with instrumented PLIF for low-grade lytic spondylolisthesis and divided into two equal groups: one with addition of PRF to the bone graft and the other without. The minimum follow-up was 2 years. Clinical outcome was measured by the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and Visual Analogue Pain Scale (VAS) at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. Radiological outcome was measured by standing X-ray at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months and computed tomography at 6 and 12 months postoperatively.

RESULTS

ODI for the PRF group improved by 60% and 79% at 6 and 12 months, respectively, whereas for the non-PRF group, it improved by 55% and 70%. Radiological outcome showed fusion in 15 of 20 cases in the PRF group (75%) by the 6 month and in 19 of 20 cases (95%) by 1 year and 100% at 2 years. In the control group, fusion was present in 12 of 20 cases (60%) by the 6 month and in 13 of 20 cases in the PRF group (65%) by 1 year and 90% at 2 years ( < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

These preliminary results show that PRF accelerates the rate of fusion in low-grade lytic spondylolisthesis in short-term follow-up.