The efficacy of pedicle screw/plate fixation on lumbar/lumbosacral autogenous bone graft fusion in adult patients with degenerative spondylolisthesis.

A total of 18 patients with grade I or II degenerative spondylolisthesis fused three levels or fewer with autogenous bone graft were entered at three clinical sites. After 2 years, these patients were found to have a fusion rate of 89%. A statistical analysis of these results compared with those in the literature showed that patients with spondylolisthesis who underwent fusion with pedicle screw instrumentation were > 3 times more likely to fuse than comparable patients implanted without a pedicle screw/plate system. The pedicle screw/plate system used in this study was shown to be an effective method of facilitating lumbar or lumbosacral fusion with autogenous bone graft for adult patients with a primary indication of grade I or II degenerative spondylolisthesis.