Journal of Pain Research (Aug 2023)
Instrumented Posterior Arthrodesis of the Lumbar Spine: Prospective Study Evaluating Fusion Outcomes in Patients Receiving an Interspinous Fixation Device for the Treatment of Degenerative Spine Diseases
Abstract
Matthew Skoblar,1 Thomas Hedman,2,3 Adam J Rogers,3 Gabriel P Jasper,1 Douglas P Beall4 1The Jasper Spine Institute, Brick Township, NJ, USA; 2University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA; 3Spinal Simplicity LLC, Overland Park, KS, USA; 4Comprehensive Specialty Care, Edmond, OK, USACorrespondence: Douglas P Beall, Interventional Radiology, Comprehensive Specialty Care, 1023 Waterwood Pkwy, Edmond, OK, 73034, USA, Tel +1 (405) 601-2325 ; +1 (405) 213-9639, Email [email protected]: Prospective evaluation of radiographic fusion outcomes in patients receiving instrumented posterior arthrodesis of the lumbar spine using a minimally invasive interspinous fixation device.Patients and Methods: All patients (n = 110) from a single US physician’s practice who received instrumented posterior arthrodesis of the lumbar spine with a minimally invasive interspinous fixation device in the calendar year 2020 were invited to return for a follow-up CT scan to radiographically assess fusion. Forty-three patients, representing 69 total treated levels, consented to participate and received a lumbar CT scan at a mean of 459 days post-surgery (177 to 652). The interspinous/interlaminar fusion was assessed by 3 independent radiologists using a novel grading scale. Spinous process fractures were also assessed.Results: 92.8% of the assessed levels were considered fused. There were no intraoperative spinous process fractures. There were 4 spinous process fractures (5.8%) identified on CT imaging, all of which were asymptomatic and healed without subsequent intervention. There were no instances of device mechanical failure or device-related reoperation.Conclusion: Instrumented posterior arthrodesis of the lumbar spine using a minimally invasive interspinous fixation device provides clinically meaningful fusion rates with no reoperations and a low risk of spinous process fracture or other device-related complications.Keywords: interspinous fusion, fusion grading scale, ligament sparing, spinal stenosis
