Abstract
Background Fusion surgery in the rare patients suffering from symptomatic degenerative disc disease (DDD) at three segments has been reported to produce poor results and a high frequency of complications, why patients suffering from DDD at three segments are seldom offered surgical treatment.
Purpose To compare clinical outcome after one- and two years, between patients that have undergone disc replacement surgery (TDR) at three segments and patients that have been treated at less segments.
Methods The present study is based on data recorded in the Swedish Spine Registry (SweSpine). The study group consisted of 30 patients who underwent three-segment TDR, the comparative group of 700 patients treated in one or two segments. Analyses included comparisons of preoperative data, postoperative results and improvement from baseline.
Results Our results showed no differences in outcome between groups at one- and two years postoperatively. Improvements achieved after surgery in both groups well exceeded established values for minimally clinically important difference (MCID).
Conclusions The results of this study show that patients with a diagnosis of therapy-resistant chronic low back pain (CLBP) due to DDD in one, two or even three lumbar segments achieve similar and good results after TDR surgery.
Clinical relevance The rare patients with severe and convincing DDD from three segments might in carefully selected cases be offered surgery, with a reasonable chance of a beneficial outcome.
- Copyright © 2015 ISASS - This manuscript is generously published free of charge by ISASS, the International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery