Early therapeutic effect of short segment TLIF through minimal access for treatment of lumbar degenerative scoliosis

WU Meixiang; WU Jingming; HE Erxing; YIN Zhixun; ZHONG Shushan; BAI Bo

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1674-666X.2014.01.004

Abstract：Objective To evaluate early therapeutic effect of short segment transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) through minimal access for treatment of lumbar degenerative scoliosis (LDS). Methods From January 2011 to December 2012, 26 patients with LDS were treated by short segment TLIF with minimal access in the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University. Postoperative pain relief was evaluated according to visual analogue scale (VAS) scoring, Preoperative and postoperative angles of lumbar lordosis and scoliosis were compared, the improvement rates of VAS score, Cobb's angle and lumar lordosis angle were evaluated, and the intervertebral fusion rates were also calculated. Results Mean follow-up duration was 12.1 months (6-17 months). Mean preoperative VAS score was (8.0 ± 0.9), while (3.0 ± 0.8), (3.0 ± 1.1) at 6 months after the operation and at the last follow-up respectively, the difference between preoperative and postoperative VAS scores had statistical significance (P <0.05). Cobb's angle of lumbar scoliosis was corrected from preoperative (17.3 ± 5.5)° to (7.7 ± 2.8)° at the last follow-up, with the correction rate of 55.5%; The angle of lumbar lordosis was corrected from preoperative (18.1 ± 4.6)° to (36.8 ± 4.5)° at the last follow-up, with the improvement rate of 103.3%. The intervertebral fusion rate was 100% at the latest follow-up. Conclusion Short segment TLIF through minimal access for treatment of LDS could obtain reliable short-term clinical outcomes with satisfactory pain relief, good correction of Cobb's angle and lumbar lordosis angle, as well as high intervertebral fusion rate.