None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
To determine whether fusion of the lower lumbar spine could reduce pain and diminish disability when compared with nonsurgical treatment in patients with chronic low back pain.
Interventions
Spinal fusion is surgery to permanently connect two or more vertebrae in your spine, eliminating motion between them.
Spinal fusion involves techniques designed to mimic the normal healing process of broken bones. During spinal fusion, the surgeon places bone or a bone-like material in the space between two spinal vertebrae. Metal plates, screws and rods may be used to hold the vertebrae together, so they can heal into one solid unit. The procedure takes approximate 1-3 hours to complete.
Sponsors
Sahlgrenska University Hospital
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
25 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Patients with chronic low back pain for at least 2 years and with radiologic evidence of disc degeneration at L4-L5 or L5-S1. Back pain more pronounced than leg pain and no signs of nerve root compression. The patients must have been on sick leave for at least 1 year and nonsurgical treatment efforts should have been unsuccessful.
Exclusion criteria
Ongoing psychiatric illness. Previous spine surgery except for successful removal of herniated disc. Infection or inflammatory process.
Outcome results
None listed