Lumbar arthrodesis in degenerative spine: post operative results and radiographic evaluation

Objective: To relate the radiographic fusion rate and the surgical results in patients undergoing posterolateral arthrodesis with instrumentation of the lumbar spine for the treatment of degenerative disorders. Method: A descriptive, retrospective, case series, observational study, based on medical records and imaging studies of 76 patients over 18 years of age (39 to 88 years) who underwent posterolateral lumbar arthrodesis. Data related to the presence of comorbidities were compiled and clinical outcomes were measured using specific questionnaires collected pre-surgical and 1 year after surgery. Fusion quality, as described by Christensen, was assessed from radiographic images by two examiners. The VAS, EQ-5D and Roland Morris questionnaires were used preoperatively and 1 year after surgery to assess pain, quality of life and function, respectively. Result: It was observed improvement in pain, function and quality of life after 1 year post-surgical. Pain, measured by VAS, had a reduction from 7.92 to 3.16 (p-value <0.001), the function evaluated by the Roland Morris score, also showed a reduction from 14.90 to 7.06 (p-value <0.001) . Culminating with the improvement in quality of life, measured by the EQ-5D, where there was a median increase in the score from 0.5672 to 0.7002 (p-value = 0.002). Conclusion: The absence of radiographic fusion has no direct correlation with worse results in clinical outcomes at 01 year after surgery. Most patients showed clinical improvement with no statistical difference in relation to cases in which bone fusion was obtained. Level of evidence IV; retrospective observation.