Background context: The role of total disc arthroplasty (TDA) in the treatment of spinal pathology is unclear. TDA has been touted as an alternative to fusion. However, not all back pain is purely discogenic in origin. Contraindications to TDA exist. At Spine Week in Porto, Portugal, Cammisa's group from the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York presented a series of 56 fusions where 100% of patients had one or more of 10 contraindications to TDA. En face, this appears to be an extremely large number.
Purpose: The purpose of the study was to repeat the Hospital for Special Surgery study in another cohort of fusion patients.
Study design/setting: This study was an independent, retrospective record review of 100 consecutive lumbar spinal fusions performed at a tertiary care private medical center.
Patient sample: All adult patients having primary1-3 level lumbar spinal fusions from January 2003 to May 2004 were assessed.
Outcome measures: Physiologic measures included imaging, range of motion, and response to facet blocks.
Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed of 100 consecutive patients having primary 1-3 level lumbar fusion by all five active staff spinal surgeons (3 orthopedic and 2 neurosurgeons). The review was performed independently by the doctorate level physiotherapist who serves as the medical center's research coordinator, reporting to the chairman of the Hospital institutional review board. The same 10 contraindications from Cammisa's study were noted. Additional facet arthrosis data were collected, including mention on imaging reports or operating room notes. Clinical notes were reviewed for documentation of range of lumbar motion (ROM) and whether there was restricted or painful extension ROM. Note was made if patients had facet blocks as another clinical indicator of facet arthrosis.
Results: All 100 patients had at least one contraindication to TDA. The average was 3.69 (range 1-7). Only one patient had facet arthrosis as their only contraindication. Facet arthrosis was documented on imaging reports or operating room notes in 97/100. Reduced extension was present in 71/75 charts that documented ROM. Facet blocks were performed in 12/100 and gave greater than 50% relief in nine.
Conclusions: Both our study and Cammisa's indicate that all lumbar fusion patients in our two institutions have at least one contraindication to TDA. The average fusion patient does not appear to have isolated discogenic pain. A large proportion of the patients appeared to have facet arthritis. The point where facet arthrosis definitely constitutes a contradiction to TDA will require analysis during long-term arthroplasty follow-up studies. Suitable patients for TDA may not represent a significant cohort presently undergoing lumbar fusion.