[Long-term results of the Dynesys implant]

Dynamic stabilization was introduced in 1994 as a motion preserving device in an attempt to overcome the disadvantages of fusion and to provide sufficient stability, to restore normal segmental kinematics, to prevent instability, and to avoid adjacent segmental degeneration. The results in patients with spinal stenosis with or without degenerative spondylolisthesis can be considered good. Decompression should be performed in the most cases. Disc degeneration of the bridged and the adjacent segment seems to continue despite Dynesys stabilization. It is likely that this continuing degeneration is due to natural disease progression rather than an effect of stabilization.