Assessing Risk Factors for Radiological Complications After Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion

University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland170 enrolled

Overview

This retrospective study is to determine whether age is a risk factor for postoperative complications in patients undergoing transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion; specifically whether the risk (odds) of implant failure and the need for revision surgery increases with age.

Spinal fusion is one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures for the treatment of degenerative spinal disease. Interbody fusion with cages reconstructs the anterior column through disc removal, allowing to maintain proper disc height despite weight bearing, while providing firm fixation of the spinal segments. Transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) has fewer complications and less intraoperative bleeding than posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF). Elderly patients are at high risk for perioperative and postoperative complications after lumbar fusion. This retrospective study is to determine whether age is a risk factor for postoperative complications in patients undergoing transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion; specifically whether the risk (odds) of implant failure and the need for revision surgery increases with age.

Study Type

OBSERVATIONAL

Enrollment

170

Conditions

Degenerative Lumbar Spine Diseases

Interventions

Data collection (radiological parameters, outcome information) from electronic patient files in hospital data systemOTHER

Collection of medical data and medical images (MRI, radiographs) of the lumbar spine and pelvis of patients having received TLIF with degenerative spinal diseases from the years 2015-2020 and statistical analysis of the coded data.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 55 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Indications for TLIF surgery (e.g., degenerative disc disease, spondylolisthesis) * Existing preoperative upright standing sagittal plane X-ray of lumbar spine with clear visibility of pelvis, sacrum and femoral head * Existing preoperative MRI of the lumbar region with clear visibility of different fatty infiltration grade and stenosis degree * Complete follow-up at 3 months and 1 year postoperatively, including clinical and radiographic data Exclusion Criteria: * Neuromuscular diseases such as Parkinson's disease or multiple sclerosis according to our records * Preoperative infection and/or malignancy tumor with involvement of the bony or soft tissue structures of the lumbar spine * Presence of a documented consent dissent

Locations (1)

University Hospital Basel, Orthopedics and Traumatology

Basel, Switzerland

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Number of Implant failure

Number of Implant failure (screw loosening, cage subsidence, adjacent level alteration/ degeneration, spondylolisthesis degree, kyphosis of the adjacent intervertebral disc space, reduced height of intervertebral disc space) in relationship to age

Time frame: one time assessment at baseline

Number of patients needing revision surgery

Number of patients needing revision surgery, in relationship to age

Time frame: one time assessment at baseline

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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