Summary

Although the use of either unilateral or bilateral segmental pedicular instrumentation with transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) is effective in the treatment of lumbar spondylosis, patients who underwent TLIF buttressed by unilateral instrumentation were 7 times more likely to suffer pseudarthrosis and were more likely to require a reoperation. This article presents the results of a prospective cohort study that looked at the incidence of complications in patients with lumbar spondylosis who underwent TLIF with either unilateral or bilateral instrumentation.