The biomechanics of lumbar facetectomy under compression-flexion

Alterations of posterior spinal alaments including the facet joints are comm only associated with H variety oF lumhnr operative procedures. Undur continuous physiologic- compression-fioxinn load application L2-L3 and L4-LI: functional units were tested as intact preps ration s and then sequentially altered with unilateral facetectomy, bilateral facetectomy, posterior IiCiimun'. transaction, and partial diskectomy. Using a method of continution motion analysis, tha movement of ihe individual sp'nsl components (disc, facet joint, interspinouE process distance) ware statistically compared between the various surgical alteration, Higher physiologic leads produced significant increases in overall deflection from BF to BFL alterations indicating a preference to preserve the posterior irgamerib9 for tliis surgical appfowfc Although insignificant changes in the foree-def'ection response from one surgical alteration to the next sequential a ha ration noted, statistically significant increased ir localised facet joint motitm may suggest the poleniial for acceleration of segmental degenerative changes.