The aim of the present study was to compare the clinical outcomes of cage-shaped demineralized bone plus local bone grafts (CDBLG) with those of autogenous iliac crest bone grafts (ICBG) implanted for the treatment of single-level lumbar intervertebral disc degenerative diseases. A total of 69 cases of degenerative spinal disorder treated between January 2011 and December 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. Of these, 44 were treated with CDBLG and 25 with autogenous ICBG. All fusions were instrumented single level. Fusion was assessed after 6, 12 and 24 months by X-ray and CT scans post-operatively. Clinical outcomes were determined during follow-up and assessments included the Oswestry Disability Index, Visual Analogue Scale for back and leg pain and the Short Form-36 general health survey physical component summary. The results indicated that the overall fusion rate at 24 months post-operatively was higher in the ICBG group compared with that in the CDBLG group, although not significantly (P>0.05). All other outcome measures were significantly improved in the two groups after the surgery (P<0.05), but no significant differences were observed between the two groups (P>0.05). Blood loss and mean duration of surgery in the CDBLG group were significantly lower compared with those in the ICBG group (P<0.05). In conclusion, CDBLG achieved a similar fusion rate and clinical outcome as ICBG but was associated with significantly reduced blood loss and mean duration of surgery. In conclusion, the present study provided CDBLG bone graft as an alternative option for single-level fusion.

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