Lumbosacral instrumented fusion: analysis of 124 consecutive cases

One hundred twenty-four cases of lumbosacral fusion receiving transpedicular screw fixation were divided into two groups and reviewed retrospectively. The conditions treated include spondylolisthesis, scoliosis, tumor, trauma, and degenerative disc disease. There were 83 males and 41 females in this consecutive series averaging a 45.2-month follow-up. The primary or first-time arthrodesis rate was 91.9%. A learning curve effect as it relates to operative time but not pedicular screw placement was shown. Instrumentation-related and general medical and surgical complications were low. Infection rates were also low; superficial 2.4%, deep 1.6%. Nonunion or delayed union was salvaged in 10 cases, improving the overall fusion rate to 97.6%. The results of this study support the use of lumbosacral transpedicular screw fixation in select spinal conditions.