Is lumbar fusion necessary for chronic low back pain associated with degenerative disk disease? A meta-analysis

Review written by Todd Hargrove info

Key Points

  1. Lumbar fusion for treatment of chronic low back pain associated with degenerative disc disease was not superior to non-operative care for pain relief and disability.
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BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE

Chronic low back pain continues to be a major challenge facing health care systems. Lumbar fusion is a common procedure for treatment of low back pain in the presence of degenerative disc disease. This paper was a meta-analysis that examined the safety and efficacy of lumbar fusion versus non-operative care.

Lumbar fusion is a common procedure for treatment of low back pain in the presence of degenerative disc disease.
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Clinicians should be aware that, based on current evidence, lumbar fusion is not a good choice for most patients with chronic low back pain.

METHODS

This meta-analysis included prospective studies comparing lumbar fusion to non-operative care for adults with at least one year of chronic low back pain and degenerative disease of the lumbar spine.

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