A surgical comparison shows the smiley face technique improves pain and reduces blood loss in spondylolisthesis treatment, suggesting a viable alternative.
Key Points
This research aims to compare the efficacy of the smiley face rod technique versus posterolateral fusion in treating isthmic lumbar spondylolisthesis.
Examined patients aged 18 to 50 with isthmic lumbar spondylolisthesis.
Compared outcomes between smiley face rod technique and posterolateral fusion.
Measured improvements in pain, functional disability, blood loss, and surgical incision length.
Followed up with patients for one year to assess fusion and degenerative changes.
The smiley face rod technique led to significantly greater improvement in back pain (p = 0.002).
Lower limb pain improved more with the smiley face technique (p = 0.028).
The smiley face technique resulted in less blood loss during surgery (p < 0.001).
Surgical incisions were shorter with the smiley face technique (p = 0.019).
Both techniques achieved similar solid fusion with no degenerative changes after one year.