Turkish Neurosurgery
Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) Rods in Lumbar Spine Degenerative Disease: Mid-term Results in a Patient Series Involving Radiological and Clinical Assessment
Ahmet Öğrenci1, Orkun Koban1, Onur Yaman2, Mesut Yılmaz1, Sedat Dalbayrak1
1Neurospinal Academy, Neurosurgery, istanbul,
2Koç University, Neurosurgery, Istanbul,
DOI: 10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.24320-18.2

Aim:The aim of this study is to evaluate the satisfaction of patients operated due to degenerative lumbar spinal diseases with dynamic stabilization with Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) rod and to share their radiological and clinical results (mid-term) with Visual Analog Scale(VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index(ODI) scores.Material and Methods:The preoperative and postoperative low back pain, leg pain VAS and ODI scores of 172 patients who were operated for degenerative spinal diseases were evaluated. Preoperative- postoperative lumbar lordosis were compared. The patients included to the study were evaluated postoperatively around the 2nd year with lumbar MRI by means of adjacent segment disease (ASD) and additional problems. Patients were grouped and compared in many directions.Results:A radiologically significant increase in lordosis angle was not achieved. Significant improvement was observed in the comparison of preoperative postoperative period in the analysis of patients\' preoperative low back pain(p<0.0001) and decompression-related leg pain VAS scores. (p<0.0001) Significant improvement was also observed in the ODI scores of the patients. (p<0.0001) Among 172 patients with dynamic stabilization, there were 10 patients who underwent reoperation. (%5.8)Conclusion:Although it is statistically significant, it can be seen that the lumbar lordosis can not be corrected at significant degrees radiographically in the operations performed with the PEEK rod. Dynamic stabilization with PEEK rod is insufficient for sagittal correction, but the mid-term results reached satisfactory reoperation rates, clinically outcomes. Rate of ASD is quite low in stabilization with PEEK rod.

Corresponding author : Ahmet Öğrenci