Abstract
Imaging studies and operative records of 55 patients who had undergone lumbar pseudarthrosis repair were studied, providing a total of 85 surgically documented pseudarthroses. Preoperative imaging studies were carefully analyzed for the anatomic characteristics of the involved levels and the morphology of the fusion mass. The pseudarthroses were found to fall into four distinct morphologic categories: atrophic, transverse, shingle, and complex. The atrophic pseudarthrosis type was noted to be strongly associated with the presence of intact facet joints or spinal hardware. This retrospective analysis indicates that stress shielding provided by intact facet joints or spinal implants may contribute to graft atrophy in certain patients. The classification scheme proposed may be useful in future analyses of different fusion techniques in determining the various causes of this surgical complication.
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
