Purpose: To evaluate the outcomes, fusion rates, complications, and adjacent segment degeneration associated with transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF).
Methods: 32 men and 80 women aged 15 to 85 (mean, 57) years underwent 141 fusions (84 one-level, 27 2-level, and one 3-level) and were followed up for 24 to 76 (mean, 33) months. 92% of the patients had degenerative lumbar disease, 15 of whom had had previous lumbar surgery. Radiographic and clinical outcomes were assessed at 2 years. The short-form 36 (SF-36) health survey, visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain, and the modified North American Spine Society (NASS) Low Back Pain Outcome Instrument were used.
Results: Of the 141 levels fused, 110 (78%) were fused with remodelling and trabeculae (grade I), and 31 (22%) had intact grafts but were not fully incorporated (grade II). No patient had pseudoarthroses (grade III or IV). For one-level fusions, poorer radiological fusion grades correlated with higher VAS scores for pain (p<0.01). All components of the SF-36, the VAS scores for pain, and the NASS scores improved significantly after TLIF (p<0.01), except for general health in the SF-36 (p=0.59). Improvement from postoperative 6 months to 2 years was not significant, except for physical function (p<0.01) and role function (physical) [p=0.01] in the SF-36. Two years after TLIF, 50% of the patients reported returning to full function, whereas 72% were satisfied. 26 (23%) of the patients had adjacent segment degeneration, but only 4 of them were symptomatic.
Conclusion: TLIF is a safe and effective treatment for degenerative lumbar diseases.