Laparoscopic spinal fusion of L4-L5 and L5-S1.

Background: Patients with degenerative disc disease were treated by laparoscopic spondylodesis. Clinical outcome and quality of life were then analyzed in a retrospective study.

Methods: Thirty patients with a mean age of 43 years (range, 26-63) who suffered from instability of levels L4-L5 (n = 23), L5-S1 (n = 3), or both (n = 2) underwent surgery.

Dystrophic kyphoscoliosis in neurofibromatosis type I: a report of two cases and review of the literature.

We report two cases of dystrophic scoliosis in neurofibromatosis, each of particular interest. In the first, kyphosis was present with vertebral rotatory subluxation but no neurologic impairment, while the second patient showed manifest paraplegia due to rapidly progressive kyphoscoliosis. The importance of early surgical stabilisation, both front and back if possible, is stressed.

Results of CD operation in idiopathic scoliosis.

In order to evaluate the use of the CD system in scoliosis and kyphosis surgery we performed a partly retrospective, partly prospective study of our patient group. A total of 38 CD operations was performed in the period November 1986 until February 1991. In this group were 24 patients with idiopathic scoliosis, 4 male and 20 female, average age at operation 18 yrs 10 mo (12 yrs 10 mos-42 yrs 2 mos).