Microdecompressione e cages in titanio nel trattamento microchirurgico di certe condizioni di instabilità/stenosi segmentaria del canale lombare

MICRODECOMPRESSION AND TITANIUM CAGES IN THE MICROSURGICAL TREATMENT OF SOME LUMBAR SEGMENT INSTABILITY/STENOSIS CONDITIONS. We report our experience with 60 cases of segmentary lumbar spinal stenosis associated with vertebral instability, trated during the last 7 years by microsurgery with the use of cylindrical interbody cages in titanium. Two aimes inspired our surgical approach: to abolish the compression by using the low invasive technique which spares spinous ligaments and, when possible, muscle insertions and zygoapophyseal joints. The use of cages not so musch to obtain vertebral fusion as to restore the biomechanics of the Functional Spinal Units (FSU) by reducing or eliminating certain anomalous movements shown in the axial-loaded computed tomography (AL-CT) an cine AL-CT. The results met the expectations: regression of symptoms and restoration of the FSUs, demostrated with cine AL-CT and the follow-up. Only in two cases a second operation, using the same technique, was necesary due to the progression of the illness at another level. Overall results were fully satisfying