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58. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie e. V. (DGNC)

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie (DGNC) e. V.

26. bis 29.04.2007, Leipzig

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Changes in bone density in a lumbar cage filled with local autograft

Veränderungen der Knochendichte in einem mit lokalem Autograft gefüllten lumbalen Cage

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  • corresponding author A.M.D. München - Neurochirurgische Klinik, Universitätskliniken des Saarlandes, Homburg/Saar
  • T. R. Pitzen - Neurochirurgische Klinik, Universitätskliniken des Saarlandes, Homburg/Saar
  • D. Barbier - Neurochirurgische Klinik, Universitätskliniken des Saarlandes, Homburg/Saar
  • W. Reith - Klinik für diagnostische und interventionelle Neuroradiologie, Universitätskliniken des Saarlandes, Homburg/Saar
  • W.-I. Steudel - Neurochirurgische Klinik, Universitätskliniken des Saarlandes, Homburg/Saar

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie. 58. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie e.V. (DGNC). Leipzig, 26.-29.04.2007. Düsseldorf: German Medical Science GMS Publishing House; 2007. DocSA.07.07

The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at: http://www.egms.de/en/meetings/dgnc2007/07dgnc181.shtml

Published: April 11, 2007

© 2007 München et al.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.en). You are free: to Share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work, provided the original author and source are credited.

Outline

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Objective: To date, it is at least debatable if a cage for interbody lumbar fusion should be filled with autologous bone or any type of bone substitute or should remain unfilled. Thus, the objective of the current study was to investigate the fate of a bone graft within and behind of a lumbar fusion cage.

Methods: 16 patients suffering from degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine received a posterior transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion with pedicle screw rod system and monoportal, bilateral supporting intervertebral cage. Three patients were fused in two adjacent lumbar segments. The cages were filled with bone that has been taken from the hemilaminectomy or arthrectomy, respectively. Three days and again one year after surgery an axial computed tomography scan through the cage was performed. In a standardised manner the density in both apertures of the cage and in the bone seal behind the cage was measured. Each time the mean value of bone density and standard deviation was calculated. The statistical significance was expected if p≤0,05.

Results: Mean density (± standard deviation) was 547.2 (±124.0) Hounsfield Units (HU) on day 3, 612.7 (±142.2) HU one year after surgery. The difference between the values on three days and one year after surgery was not significant (p=0.1). In 73% of the investigated segments was the bone density higher or at least unchanged.

Conclusions: In our opinion filling the lumbar monoportal, bilateral supporting, intervertebral cage with bone received from the approach is an appropriate alternative to the current treatment options.