Chronic low back pain is the most common symptom of spondylolisthetic or degenerative lumbar segmental instability. Posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) is the standard and frequently used surgical treatment for degenerative disc disease. The lumbar interbody cage allows inter-vertebral height restoration, thus restoring segmental lordosis through adequate interbody fusion and maintaining stability. The interbody cage is considered stable when it remains secured in place between the adjacent vertebral bodies with adequate bony fusion.
Different interbody cages are used like polyetheretherketone (PEEK), titanium, and tantalum.
Cage design, for use in the lumbar spine, has continually evolved. The most frequent disadvantage of metallic implants is the mismatch in stiffness as compared to the surrounding bone, which can lead to the subsiding of the cage into the endplates. Computed tomography (CT) is the preferred method of assessing interbody fusion
AIM of the work :
The aim of this study was to assess the result of metal cages in PLIF.