Differential Fusion Techniques in Uninstrumented Posterolateral Lumbar Fusion: A Retrospective Self-Control Study, Technical Notes and Radiological Outcomes

Objective: To compare two surgical techniques, the “bread and jam” and “reverse sandwich,” for uninstrumented posterolateral lumbar fusion in treating degenerative lumbar spine disease, focusing on their impact on fusion outcomes. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study at Siriraj Hospita...

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Main Authors: Cholavech Chavasiri, Harit Khamnurak, Korawish Mekariya, Borriwat Santipas
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital 2025-03-01
Series:Siriraj Medical Journal
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Online Access:https://he02.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/sirirajmedj/article/view/271446
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author Cholavech Chavasiri
Harit Khamnurak
Korawish Mekariya
Borriwat Santipas
author_facet Cholavech Chavasiri
Harit Khamnurak
Korawish Mekariya
Borriwat Santipas
author_sort Cholavech Chavasiri
collection DOAJ
description Objective: To compare two surgical techniques, the “bread and jam” and “reverse sandwich,” for uninstrumented posterolateral lumbar fusion in treating degenerative lumbar spine disease, focusing on their impact on fusion outcomes. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study at Siriraj Hospital analyzed data from patients undergoing uninstrumented posterolateral lumbar fusion between January 2002 and December 2016. Procedures were performed by a senior spine surgeon using posterior midline approaches with iliac bone grafting customized to each patient. Radiographic assessments at 3, 6, 9, 12, and 24 months postoperatively evaluated fusion mass sizes, assessed independently for reliability. Results: Sixty patients (50 women, mean age 63.17 years) were included, predominantly diagnosed with spinal stenosis with spondylolisthesis (79.66%). The main symptoms were radiculopathy (47.46%) and neurogenic claudication (40.68%). Most surgeries targeted one spinal level (71.19%). Fusion mass size differed significantly between the right and left sides at 3, 9, and 24 months, with the right side consistently larger. However, no significant differences were noted at 6 and 12 months. Conclusion: The “reverse sandwich” technique, incorporating cancellous bone on both sides of the graft, potentially enhances fusion outcomes compared to the “bread and jam” technique, which uses cancellous bone on one side. This dual-sided approach in the “reverse sandwich” technique, may improve vascularization and foster a more favorable biological environment for fusion without apparent biomechanical differences observed in this study. Further research is needed to corroborate these findings and elucidate their biological mechanisms.
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spelling doaj-art-00cabc18d560424c98b16382d36256a22025-08-20T02:17:09ZengFaculty of Medicine Siriraj HospitalSiriraj Medical Journal2228-80822025-03-0177310.33192/smj.v77i3.271446Differential Fusion Techniques in Uninstrumented Posterolateral Lumbar Fusion: A Retrospective Self-Control Study, Technical Notes and Radiological OutcomesCholavech Chavasiri 0Harit Khamnurak1Korawish Mekariya2Borriwat Santipas3Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, ThailandDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, ThailandDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, ThailandDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand Objective: To compare two surgical techniques, the “bread and jam” and “reverse sandwich,” for uninstrumented posterolateral lumbar fusion in treating degenerative lumbar spine disease, focusing on their impact on fusion outcomes. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study at Siriraj Hospital analyzed data from patients undergoing uninstrumented posterolateral lumbar fusion between January 2002 and December 2016. Procedures were performed by a senior spine surgeon using posterior midline approaches with iliac bone grafting customized to each patient. Radiographic assessments at 3, 6, 9, 12, and 24 months postoperatively evaluated fusion mass sizes, assessed independently for reliability. Results: Sixty patients (50 women, mean age 63.17 years) were included, predominantly diagnosed with spinal stenosis with spondylolisthesis (79.66%). The main symptoms were radiculopathy (47.46%) and neurogenic claudication (40.68%). Most surgeries targeted one spinal level (71.19%). Fusion mass size differed significantly between the right and left sides at 3, 9, and 24 months, with the right side consistently larger. However, no significant differences were noted at 6 and 12 months. Conclusion: The “reverse sandwich” technique, incorporating cancellous bone on both sides of the graft, potentially enhances fusion outcomes compared to the “bread and jam” technique, which uses cancellous bone on one side. This dual-sided approach in the “reverse sandwich” technique, may improve vascularization and foster a more favorable biological environment for fusion without apparent biomechanical differences observed in this study. Further research is needed to corroborate these findings and elucidate their biological mechanisms. https://he02.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/sirirajmedj/article/view/271446lumbar fusionposterolateral fusionbone graftsurgical techniquedegenerative lumbar spine disease
spellingShingle Cholavech Chavasiri
Harit Khamnurak
Korawish Mekariya
Borriwat Santipas
Differential Fusion Techniques in Uninstrumented Posterolateral Lumbar Fusion: A Retrospective Self-Control Study, Technical Notes and Radiological Outcomes
Siriraj Medical Journal
lumbar fusion
posterolateral fusion
bone graft
surgical technique
degenerative lumbar spine disease
title Differential Fusion Techniques in Uninstrumented Posterolateral Lumbar Fusion: A Retrospective Self-Control Study, Technical Notes and Radiological Outcomes
title_full Differential Fusion Techniques in Uninstrumented Posterolateral Lumbar Fusion: A Retrospective Self-Control Study, Technical Notes and Radiological Outcomes
title_fullStr Differential Fusion Techniques in Uninstrumented Posterolateral Lumbar Fusion: A Retrospective Self-Control Study, Technical Notes and Radiological Outcomes
title_full_unstemmed Differential Fusion Techniques in Uninstrumented Posterolateral Lumbar Fusion: A Retrospective Self-Control Study, Technical Notes and Radiological Outcomes
title_short Differential Fusion Techniques in Uninstrumented Posterolateral Lumbar Fusion: A Retrospective Self-Control Study, Technical Notes and Radiological Outcomes
title_sort differential fusion techniques in uninstrumented posterolateral lumbar fusion a retrospective self control study technical notes and radiological outcomes
topic lumbar fusion
posterolateral fusion
bone graft
surgical technique
degenerative lumbar spine disease
url https://he02.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/sirirajmedj/article/view/271446
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AT haritkhamnurak differentialfusiontechniquesinuninstrumentedposterolaterallumbarfusionaretrospectiveselfcontrolstudytechnicalnotesandradiologicaloutcomes
AT korawishmekariya differentialfusiontechniquesinuninstrumentedposterolaterallumbarfusionaretrospectiveselfcontrolstudytechnicalnotesandradiologicaloutcomes
AT borriwatsantipas differentialfusiontechniquesinuninstrumentedposterolaterallumbarfusionaretrospectiveselfcontrolstudytechnicalnotesandradiologicaloutcomes