Posterolateral lumbosacral arthrodesis (P.L.A.). A study of 85 cases.

Posterolateral lumbar and lumbosacral arthrodesis has been used during the last 50 years as a method of posterior arthrodesis in patients who have undergone previous laminectomies or after previous unsuccessful attempts at posterior fusion. The higher percentages of successful fusion has extended the use of this technique to other conditions such as spondylolisthesis and lumbar pain due to segmental instability. The present study is a clinical and radiographic evaluation of the results obtained in a series of 84 patients affected by lumbar or lumbosciatic pain arising from different causes - spondylolisthesis, degenerative lumbar disc disease or failed operations for lumbar disc prolapse. The follow-up was 2-6 years.