Effect of Interbody Fusion on the Remaining Discs of the Lumbar Spine in Subjects with Disc Degeneration

Stresses are greater in flexion at the endplates of L3-4 and in flexion and extension at L2-3 in the presence of L3-4 disc disease and L4-5 fusion than in the control group. In all other combinations of fusion and disc disease, endplate stress was less for all levels tested than in the control model.