• Klaus John Schnake, Nikolai Fleiter, Christoph Hoffmann, Andreas Pingel, Matti Scholz, Alexander Langheinrich, and Frank Kandziora.
• Center for Spinal and Scoliosis Surgery, Malteser Waldkrankenhaus St. Marien, Rathsberger Strasse 57, 91054, Erlangen, Germany. klaus.schnake@waldkrankenhaus.de.
• Eur Spine J. 2021 Jan 1; 30 (1): 114-121.

PurposeThis study aimed to compare clinical results and fusion rates of uncoated polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cages with titanium-coated PEEK cages in posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) surgery.MethodsA prospective randomised study including 60 patients with one- or two-segment lumbar degenerative diseases. Patients received either titanium-coated PEEK cages (group A) or uncoated PEEK cages (group B). Fusion rates were evaluated on plain X-rays and CT scans after 6 and 12 months. Clinical follow-up (visual analogue scale, VAS; Oswestry Disability Index score, ODI; EQ-5D) was performed for 24 months.ResultsFifty-five patients (92%) (36 female, 19 male) had a complete follow-up. There were no statistically significant differences in demographic, peri- or intraoperative data between groups A and B. ODI, VAS and EQ-5D improved significantly (p < 0.001) after surgery without statistically significant differences between the two groups. Overall, 65 operated segments could be evaluated for fusion (group A: 29 segments, group B: 36 segments, p = 0.6). Osseous integration of the cage surface improved significantly (p < 0.001) in both groups between 6 and 12 months after surgery. At 12-month follow-up, neither radiolucency nor signs of instability or dislocation were noted. Fusion was present in CT scans as follows: (a) bone growth through cage pores (A: 100%, B: 100%); (b) bone growth outside the cages (A: 48%, B: 61%; p = 0.3).ConclusionsPEEK and titanium-coated PEEK cages for PLIF produce equally favourable clinical and radiological results up to 24 months post-surgery. The fusion rate was not different.

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