Chang Gung medical journal
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Posterior decompression, instrumentation, and posterolateral fusion are surgical procedures for the treatment of degenerative lumbar diseases. Solid fusion usually causes adjacent problems. This study investigated the clinical outcome and radiographic fate of the L5-S1 segment in patients who underwent posterior instrumented surgery for degenerative lumbar diseases. ⋯ The L5-S1 disc degenerated more after posterolateral lumbar floating fusion. However, there was no symptomatic inferior adjacent instability or symptomatic L5-S1 disc degeneration requiring further L5-S1 fusion at a mean 5.1 years follow-up.