Introduction:

Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) rods for lumbar fusion have been available since 2007. However, literature about their utility is sparse and of mixed outcomes.

Methods:

A retrospective review of PEEK rod lumbar fusion cases was performed. Data were analyzed from 108 patients of the senior author Donald Ross who underwent PEEK lumbar fusion.

Results:

There were 97 single and 11 2-level fusions. Rates of tobacco use, diabetes mellitus, low bone density, depression, and immunosuppression were 23.1%, 24.1%, 14.8%, 32.4%, and 6.5%, respectively. In the study population, the mean age was 60.2 years, body mass index was 30.1, and there was a mean 31.3 months for follow-up. There were no wound infections or new neurologic deficits. Of 81 patients with > 11 months of follow-up, 70 (86.4%) had an arthrodesis, 8 (9.9%) had no arthrodesis, and 3 (3.7%) were indeterminate. No patients had revision fusion surgery and 2 patients had adjacent level fusions at 27 and 60 months. One patient had an adjacent segment laminectomy at 18 months and one a foraminotomy at 89 months, resulting in a 3.7% adjacent segment surgery rate. Mean preoperative Short Form-36 (SF-36) physical functioning (PF) score and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) score were 28.9 and 24.8, respectively. Mean SF-36 PF postoperative score at 1 and 2 years were 59.3 and 65, respectively. Mean ODI postoperative score at 1 year was 14.5.

Conclusions:

In a large patient cohort lumbar fusion with PEEK rods can be undertaken with low complication rates, satisfactory clinical improvements, low rates of hardware failure or need for revision surgery. Longer follow-up is needed to confirm findings.