Abstract

Background: Degenerative disc disease and spondylolisthesis of lumber spine is a common disease which present with low back pain and radiculopathy. This study was conducted to assess the functional outcome of transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion as a modality of treatment for degenerative spondylolisthesis and Degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine at single or multiple level of lumber vertebra in our hospital
Study Design: Descriptive study
Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted in Department of Orthopaedics and Spine Surgery Postgraduate Medical Institute Hayatabad Medical Complex Peshawar from January 2008 to Dec 2010.
Methodology: This was a prospective study and included 15 patients who presented with spondylolisthesis of lumber and lumbosacral spine. Patients underwent transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) using disc cage and pedicle screws fixation and autologous bone graft. Results were classified into three categories (excellent and good, fair, and poor) using the Parker et al criteria.1 Pain was recorded by using Visual Analog Scale.
Results: There were 8(53.3%) male and 7 (46.7%) females patients. Mean age at time of surgery was 50.13 years (range 35-70 years). Mean follow up was 20.47 months (range 8 -33 months). The overall clinical outcome according to the Parker et al scale was as follows: 12 (80%) patients were rated as excellent or good, while 3 (20%) patients were rated as fair; no patient was rated as poor.
Pain level on a 10-point Visual Analog Scale improved from a preoperative mean value of 7.13 ± 0.743 to 2.13 ± 0.915 (paired t test, p < 0.0001) at latest follow-up. No patients reported postoperative pain greater than their preoperative level.
One (6.7%) patient had superficial infection; one (6.7%) had deep infection. Two (13.3%) patients had transient parasthesia of L5 dermatome.
Conclusions: Transforaminal lumber interbody fusion is safe and reliable in patients with degenerative disc disease and with low grade spondylolisthesis in whom conservative measures fail.

Key words: Degenerative disease of the spine, spondylolisthesis, transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion.