Indications for lumbar spine fusion in the adult

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Esses-S-I. Huler-R-J. University of Toronto, Dewar Spine Unit, Toronto General Hospital, Canada. Clin-Orthop. 1992 Jun. (279). P 87-100. More than 20,000 lumbar spine fusions are performed annually in the United States. Results of surgery unfortunately are inconsistent and may reflect unsatisfactory patient selection. Indications for lumbar arthrodesis may arise in degenerative disk disease, deformity, distal extension of previous arthrodesis, trauma, spondylolisthesis, and spinal stenosis (in association with diskectomy or decompression). There are several techniques in the assessment of potential candidates for low lumbar arthrodesis. Author-abstract.