Abstract
This retrospective cohort study aims to examine the potential differences in bone fusion between autologous bone and artificial bone in the lumbar lateral interbody fusion at 2two years post-surgery. The bone fusions performed in 15 cases and at 34 intervertebral levels were compared to assess the differences between the artificial bone, Affinos(®) (Kuraray Co., Tokyo, Japan), and autogenous bone. Two years post-surgery, we evaluated computed tomography (CT) multi-planar reconstruction images in the coronal and sagittal planes. One year after surgery, out of the 24 windows, 17 (70.8%) windows transplanted with autologous bones showed bone fusion. Additionally, out of the 38 windows, 18 (47.4%) windows transplanted with Affinos(®) showed bone fusion. Two years post-surgery, out of the 24 windows, 19 (79.2%) windows transplanted with autologous bones showed bone fusion. Additionally, out of the 38 windows, 30 (79.0%) windows transplanted with Affinos(®) showed bone fusion, and no difference was observed in the fusion rate at two years post-surgery (P = 0.238). In cases using Affinos(®) for transplanted bone, the bone fusion rate increased between one and two years. The rate of bony fusion using Affinos(®) in lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF) cages is at par with that of autologous bone grafts at two years post-surgery. Affinos(®) is a promising candidate for graft material in LLIF surgery.