Abstract

The authors conducted a prospective non-randomised study on the ProDisc™ intervertebral prosthesis versus anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF). The first group included 14 patients, the second group 10 patients. In the ProDisc group the Oswestry Disability Index improved from ± 38.42 preoperatively (60 being the worst possible condition) to ± 15.21 after 6 months and to ± 12.5 after 12 months. This was definitely better than the ALIF group, where the corresponding figures were ± 38, ± 25 and ± 21.4. The ProDisc patients also scored better with respect to duration of hospitalisation, blood loss and operation time. The complications were comparable in both groups.