[Experiences with combined interventions on the lumbar spine]

Lumbar fusion is practicable by combined operations with dorso-ventral combined procedures. The indication is advisable following degenerative, inflammative, neoplastic processes and fractures of the spine. We operated 125 patients with combined procedures in 10 years. Beside dorsal instrumentation an intervention at the spinal canal is mostly necessary, only in 9 patients we preferred first the ventral part for the correction of a deformity. According to our experience the advantage for delayed dorso-ventral procedure is the preoperative blood donation, perioperative ferrum substitution and intraoperative cell saver system. In contrast to 1 combined procedure, most patients with 2 operations during the same hospital stay do not need homologous blood, the addition of time for 2 delayed procedures is shorter than for a single operation with intraoperative patient turn round in anesthesia, the convalescence was better, complications were seldom and hospital stay shorter. This comes out very clear in the group of lumbar degeneration in high age, who otherwise were bedridden for a long time following frequent complications.