Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (PLIF)
Spinal fusion operations may be done for a variety of reasons and using a range of different techniques. A spinal fusion is done to stabilise the spine when the underlying pathology (be it degenerative, congenital, traumatic, tumour or infective) has made the spine unstable or when surgery to relieve the pathology has made the spine unstable.
There are many different techniques for performing spinal fusion and surgeons may choose a particular technique for a variety of reasons. The technique chosen for an individual patient may vary depending on the underlying pathology and surgeon preference. This section provides clinical outcome data (results of surgery) for patients in whom Dr Sears has used the technique of Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion or 'PLIF'.
Since learning the PLIF technique from Dr Arthur Steffee of Cleveland, Ohio in 1993, Dr Sears has carried out approximately 2,165 PLIF surgeries. The majority of these procedures have been done for degenerative disorders. Many have been done been done to stabilise or reconstruct the lumbar spine following trauma, correction of congenital deformity or resection of a spinal tumour. A relatively small percentage of the fusions have been done, purely for the management of intractable low back pain, associated with painful degenerative disc disease.
Since September 2000, Dr Sears has asked all his patients who have undergone PLIF surgery to 'self-report' their clinical outcomes using internationally standardised questionnaires. Of the 1790 patients who have undergone a 'PLIF' by Dr Sears since that time, pre-operative questionnaires have been completed by 1571 patients and follow-up data has kindly been provided by 1547 or 98% of those patients. The outcome data for these patients is shown below and represents the combined results of posterior lumbar interbody spinal fusions done for a wide variety of indications/pathologies. Many of the procedures have been done for relatively straight-forward single or two-level problems while others have involved complex multi-level deformities or following multiple previously unsuccessful operations ('failed backs').
For the results of more specific spinal surgical disorders treated by PLIF surgery (e.g. single-level degenerative or lytic spondylolisthesis) please see adjacent website pages. Further pages will be added to the website in coming months providing outcome figures for more complex pathologies and PLIF surgeries such as for degenerative kypho-scoliosis and 'failed back surgery'.
For patients who have undergone spinal fusion to treat intractable low back pain, associated with painful degenerative disc disease, Dr Sears has preferred to use the technique of Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion or 'ALIF', rather than 'PLIF'. These results will be presented elsewhere.
Data last updated: October 28th, 2021
There are many different techniques for performing spinal fusion and surgeons may choose a particular technique for a variety of reasons. The technique chosen for an individual patient may vary depending on the underlying pathology and surgeon preference. This section provides clinical outcome data (results of surgery) for patients in whom Dr Sears has used the technique of Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion or 'PLIF'.
Since learning the PLIF technique from Dr Arthur Steffee of Cleveland, Ohio in 1993, Dr Sears has carried out approximately 2,165 PLIF surgeries. The majority of these procedures have been done for degenerative disorders. Many have been done been done to stabilise or reconstruct the lumbar spine following trauma, correction of congenital deformity or resection of a spinal tumour. A relatively small percentage of the fusions have been done, purely for the management of intractable low back pain, associated with painful degenerative disc disease.
Since September 2000, Dr Sears has asked all his patients who have undergone PLIF surgery to 'self-report' their clinical outcomes using internationally standardised questionnaires. Of the 1790 patients who have undergone a 'PLIF' by Dr Sears since that time, pre-operative questionnaires have been completed by 1571 patients and follow-up data has kindly been provided by 1547 or 98% of those patients. The outcome data for these patients is shown below and represents the combined results of posterior lumbar interbody spinal fusions done for a wide variety of indications/pathologies. Many of the procedures have been done for relatively straight-forward single or two-level problems while others have involved complex multi-level deformities or following multiple previously unsuccessful operations ('failed backs').
For the results of more specific spinal surgical disorders treated by PLIF surgery (e.g. single-level degenerative or lytic spondylolisthesis) please see adjacent website pages. Further pages will be added to the website in coming months providing outcome figures for more complex pathologies and PLIF surgeries such as for degenerative kypho-scoliosis and 'failed back surgery'.
For patients who have undergone spinal fusion to treat intractable low back pain, associated with painful degenerative disc disease, Dr Sears has preferred to use the technique of Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion or 'ALIF', rather than 'PLIF'. These results will be presented elsewhere.
Data last updated: October 28th, 2021
Number of patients/procedures with pre-op data: 1571
Number (%age) of patients with follow-up outcome data: 1547 (98%)
Age of patients -
Average: 67.9 years
Median: 70.6 years
Range: 15.5 - 95.6 years
Length of Follow-up:
Average time from surgery to last reported follow-up: 39.2 months
Patient Outcomes:
Overall Satisfaction
Patient reported at last follow-up:
Number (%age) of patients with follow-up outcome data: 1547 (98%)
Age of patients -
Average: 67.9 years
Median: 70.6 years
Range: 15.5 - 95.6 years
Length of Follow-up:
Average time from surgery to last reported follow-up: 39.2 months
Patient Outcomes:
Overall Satisfaction
Patient reported at last follow-up:
- "Was the operation worthwhile?"
- Yes 94%
- No 5%
- Uncertain 1%
- "Under similar circumstances, would you have it again?"
- Yes 88%
- No 10%
- Uncertain 2%
|
Last follow-up1.8 / 10 2.4 / 10 3.4 / 10 0.9 / 10 1.3 / 10 1.9 / 10 24.3 39.3 50.6 |
