OBJECTIVETo increase local blood supply of bone graft, a novel posterior lumbar spine fusion method with orthotopic paraspinal muscle-pediculated bone flaps was constructed, and the fusion rate and clinical effect.were observed.

METHODSFrom June 2007 to December 2010, 117 patients of lumbar spinal stenosis or lumbar destabilization treated with the novel posterior lumbar fusion method were studied, 49 males and 68 females, aged from 40 to 77 years, average 61.5 years. Clinical effect was evaluated by JOA and VAS score preoperatively and postoperatively, and the fusion result was evaluated by three-dimensional CT reconstruction postoperatively.

RESULTSSeventeen cases lost of follow up, the rest were followed up from 7 to 38 months, average 19 months. There was significant difference between pre- and postoperative JOA and VAS score (P < 0.01), the preoperative JOA score was 10.3 ± 1.9, and 25.4 ± 4.2 at the latest follow-up, the improvement rate was 81.0% ; the preoperative VAS score was 8.5 ± 0.8, and 2.3 ± 0.4 at the latest follow-up. The three-dimensional CT reconstruction showed that 126 of the 133 segments formed solid fusion in 100 patients who completed the follow-up, the fusion rate was 94.7%.

CONCLUSIONThe novel posterior lumbar fusion method make the bone graft position more precise, stable and increases the fusion rate, which can effectively reduce pseudarthrosis and have a promising clinical effect.