Effect of Pre-existing Adjacent Segment Degeneration on Long-term Effectiveness After Lumbar Fusion Surgery: a Prospective Cohort Study
This is a prospective single-center study. Patients requiring posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) for lumbar degenerative disease are prospectively enrolled and followed. Important adjacent pre-existing degeneration factors include discs degenerated, facets and ligamentum flavum tropism which could lead to spinal canal stenosis (SCS). This study will focus on the effects of pre- existing adjacent degeneration (disc factors and spinal canal stenosis factors) on long-term postoperative outcomes.
• A clear diagnosis of lumbar spinal stenosis, and surgical level of L4- S1 (The levels to be operated on were decided by matching the clinical symptomatology with the radiological findings of the spinal levels that needed decompression);
• Failed at least eight weeks conservative treatment;