Volume 28, Issue 3
DOI: 10.53555/03276716.2019.1151
An Investigation on The Impacts of The Rod Bending Technique on Clinical and Radiological Outcomes in Patients with Spondylolisthesis Undergoing Single-Level Lumbar Spinal Fusion Surgery
Abstract
Aims: We investigated the impact of rod bending techniques on surgical outcomes, postoperative spine alignment, and functional recovery compared with non-bending.
Methods: 180 patients were enrolled and randomized into the rod bending (n = 90) and without rod bending (n = 90). The age range was 40 to 60 years. The demographic characteristics, preoperative lumbar parameters (Lumbar lordosis (LL), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), pain scores (Visual Analog Scale (VAS)) as well as the postoperative complications were evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively. A follow up of long term was done to see if there is improvement in LL, ODI and pain scores at one year.
Results: Compared with the groups were similar at baseline (p > 0.05) as age, body mass index (BMI), gender distribution, smoking status and prevalence of diabetes and hypertension were not statistically different between study arms. Significant improvements were observed in LL for the rod bending group (39.5 ± 8.2 degrees) compared to the without rod bending group (36.4 ± 9.0 degrees; p = 0.012). The ODI also decreased more in the rod bending group (45.2 ± 10.1%) than in without rod bending group (50.3 ± 11.5%; p = 0.020). For leg pain, the rod bending group reported lower scores (3.5 vs 4.8; p = 0.003), and for back pain even lower scores (4.2 vs 5.6; p = 0.002). There were similar rates of complications including infection and rod breakage between the groups.
Conclusion: The rod bending technique for spinal surgery improves LL and also significantly reduces disability and pain compared with conventional lumbar spine fusion strategy then non-bending technique. The data was supporting rod bending for the best surgical outcome and postoperative recovery trajectories.
Keywords
spine surgery, rod bending, spinal fusion, lumbar lordosis