The Farfan back operation: technique and results

A total of 94 Farfan back operations were performed on 82 patients. As a group these patients were typical of those undergoing discoidectomy, with or without fusion. The follow-up period was from 3 to 5 years. Overall, the results were excellent, good or satisfactory in 85% of the patients; with one-level fusions the proportion of such results was 93%. The commonest cause of failure was extrusion of the bone graft.