Effect of spinal disease on successful arthrodesis in lumbar pedicle screw fixation

Pedicle screw fixation with transverse process fusion has gained widespread acceptance since its inception. Improved rates of arthrodesis have been demonstrated when this technique is used. The authors present one of the largest series of patients to undergo this procedure at a single center; one of the goals was to correlate construct length and spinal disease with rates of successful arthrodesis by conducting a prospective analysis of lumbar fusion in which pedicle screws were placed.

During a 7-year period, the senior author performed pedicle screw fixation with posterolateral fusion in 457 patients; the mean follow-up period was 28.4 months. Indications for fusion included metastatic tumor, single-level degenerative disc disease (DDD), trauma, degenerative scoliosis, and translational vertebral instability. Successful fusion was based on the radiographic demonstration of a bilateral contiguous osseous bridge over the transverse processes and absence of movement on dynamic x-ray films. Fusion rates were lowest in cases of tumors (54%) and highest in cases of trauma (96%). In patients with single-level DDD the rate was 91%, and in those with translational instability it was 89%. Fusion rates, however, declined steeply in relation to each additional motion segment in the translational instability group. In this group a strong linear trend for proportion was demonstrated (p < 0.001). The overall fusion rate in patients with degenerative scoliosis was 70%. The overall fusion rate for the entire group was 86%.

The data in this study can be used as a benchmark with which to compare newer technologies. Although overall pedicle screw-assisted fusion rate in cases of trauma or selected degenerative lesions approached 90%, the arthrodesis rates are not uniform for the different diagnoses. This appears to be related to the underlying spinal disease and the number of segments included in the fusion.