Guidelines for the performance of fusion procedures for degenerative disease of the lumbar spine. Part 5: correlation between radiographic and functional outcome

Daniel K Resnick; Tanvir F Choudhri; Andrew T Dailey; Michael W Groff; Larry Khoo; Paul G Matz; Praveen Mummaneni; William C Watters 3rd; Jeffrey Wang; Beverly C Walters; Mark N Hadley; American Association of Neurological Surgeons/Congress of Neurological Surgeons

doi:10.3171/spi.2005.2.6.0658

Guidelines for the performance of fusion procedures for degenerative disease of the lumbar spine. Part 5: correlation between radiographic and functional outcome

J Neurosurg Spine. 2005 Jun;2(6):658-61. doi: 10.3171/spi.2005.2.6.0658.

Authors

Daniel K Resnick¹, Tanvir F Choudhri, Andrew T Dailey, Michael W Groff, Larry Khoo, Paul G Matz, Praveen Mummaneni, William C Watters 3rd, Jeffrey Wang, Beverly C Walters, Mark N Hadley; American Association of Neurological Surgeons/Congress of Neurological Surgeons

Affiliation

¹ Department of Neurosurgery, University of Wisconsin Medical School, Madison, Wisconsin 53792, USA. Resnick@neurosurg.wisc.edu

PMID: 16028733
DOI: 10.3171/spi.2005.2.6.0658

Abstract

At the present time, there is no Class I or II medical evidence to indicate that the appearance of a radiographic fusion is significantly associated with improved functional outcomes. The majority of Class III medical evidence does suggest that successful radiographic fusion is associated with improved clinical outcomes. It is widely acknowledged that this relationship is not perfect.

Publication types

Guideline
Practice Guideline

MeSH terms

Humans
Lumbar Vertebrae / diagnostic imaging
Lumbar Vertebrae / surgery*
Radiography
Recovery of Function*
Spinal Diseases / diagnostic imaging*
Spinal Diseases / surgery*
Spinal Fusion / standards*
Treatment Outcome