Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37226381›Full record

ArticleAsian spine journal2023

A Comparison of Radiographic Alignment between Bilateral and Unilateral Interbody Cages in Patients Undergoing Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion.

Mark James Lambrechts, Jeremy Heard, Nicholas D'Antonio, John Bodnar, Gregory Schneider, Evan Bloom, Jose Canseco, Barrett Woods, Ian David Kaye, Mark Kurd and 5 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Asian spine journal, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Impact of nonunion on patient-related outcomes after single level minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion for lumbar degenerative disease: A propensity score-matched analysis.European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Mark James LambrechtsDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Rothman Orthopaedic Institute, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Jeremy HeardDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Rothman Orthopaedic Institute, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Nicholas D'AntonioDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Rothman Orthopaedic Institute, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
John BodnarDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Rothman Orthopaedic Institute, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Gregory SchneiderDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Rothman Orthopaedic Institute, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Evan BloomDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Rothman Orthopaedic Institute, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Jose CansecoDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Rothman Orthopaedic Institute, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Barrett WoodsDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Rothman Orthopaedic Institute, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Ian David KayeDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Rothman Orthopaedic Institute, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Mark KurdDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Rothman Orthopaedic Institute, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Jeffrey RihnDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Rothman Orthopaedic Institute, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Alan HilibrandDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Rothman Orthopaedic Institute, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Gregory SchroederDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Rothman Orthopaedic Institute, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Alexander VaccaroDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Rothman Orthopaedic Institute, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Christopher KeplerDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Rothman Orthopaedic Institute, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

STUDY

designRetrospective cohort study. PURPOSE: To compare radiographic outcomes between unilateral and bilateral cage placement in transforaminal lumbar interbody fusions (TLIF) and to determine if the rate of fusion at the 1-year postoperative point was different in patients who received bilateral versus unilateral cages. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: There is no clear evidence to dictate whether bilateral or unilateral cages promote superior radiographic or surgical outcomes in TLIF.

methodsPatients >18 years old who underwent primary one- or two-level TLIFs at our institution were identified and propensitymatched in a 3:1 fashion (unilateral:bilateral). Patient demographics, surgical characteristics, and radiographic outcomes, including vertebral endplate obliquity, segmental lordosis, subsidence, and fusion status, were compared between groups.

resultsOf the 184 patients included, 46 received bilateral cages. Bilateral cage placement was associated with greater subsidence (1.06±1.25 mm vs. 0.59±1.16 mm, p=0.028) and enhanced restoration of segmental lordosis (5.74°±14.1° vs. -1.57°±10.9°, p=0.002) at the 1-year postoperative point, while unilateral cage placement was associated with an increased correction of endplate obliquity (-2.02°±4.42° vs. 0.24°±2.81°, p<0.001). Bilateral cage placement was significantly associated with radiographic fusion on bivariate analysis (89.1% vs. 70.3%, p=0.018) and significantly predicted radiographic fusion on multivariable regression analysis (estimate, 1.35; odds ratio, 3.87; 95% confidence interval, 1.51-12.05; p=0.010).

conclusionsBilateral interbody cage placement in TLIF procedures was associated with restoration of lumbar lordosis and increased fusion rates. However, endplate obliquity correction was significantly greater for patients who received a unilateral cage.

Indexed as

LordosisSpinal fusionSpinal stenosisSpondylolisthesisTransforaminal lumbar interbody fusion

Identifiers

PMID37226381
PMCPMC10460650

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.