Table 2. Outcomes of studies utilizing tantalum in lumbar spine surgery.
| Article | Procedure type | VAS pain outcomes | Functional outcomes | Fusion rate | Subsidence | Operative time | Blood loss | Hospital stay | Complications |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cuzzocrea et al. (2019) (n=40) | 1–2-level TLIF with PEEK cage vs. metal (titanium or tantalum) cage | PEEK: pre-op, 5.8±2.9; follow-up, 1.6±2.9 | ODI PEEK: pre-op, 60.6±21.3; follow-up, 14.1±15.6 | PEEK: 69%; metal: 90% | – | – | – | – | – |
| Metal: pre-op, 9.5±1.0; follow-up, 2.1±2.6 | ODI metal: pre-op, 77.2±9.2; follow-up, 22.2±21.0 | ||||||||
| Van de Kelft et al.(2015) (n=80) | 1-level PLIF with tantalum cages vs. tantalum cages & PF | Tantalum: pre-op, 8.3 [6–10]; follow-up, 1.9 [0–3] | ODI Tantalum: pre-op, 46.44±19.86; follow-up, 31.97±19.90 | – | Not present in either group | Tantalum: 60 [45–120] min; tantalum & PF: 105 [45–200] min | Tantalum: 41 [10–100] mL; tantalum & PF: 109 [40–500] mL | Tantalum: 6.4 [4–15] days; tantalum & PF: 7.7 [4–21] days | Tantalum: 2 dural tears; tantalum & PF: 4 dural tears |
| Tantalum & PF: pre-op, 8.4 [5–10]; follow-up, 1.7 [0–4] | ODI Tantalum & PF: pre-op, 37.89±13.08; follow-up, 23.52±18.26 | ||||||||
| SF36 tantalum: 1-year follow-up, 9.4; 2-year follow-up, 7.1; | |||||||||
| SF36 tantalum & PF: 1-year follow-up, 8.5; 2-year follow-up, 6.9 | |||||||||
| Jalalpour et al.(2015) (n=135) | 1–2-level TLIF with titanium PF & tantalum interbody spacer with interbody & posterolateral autograft vs. PLF with autograft | Tantalum TLIF: pre-op, 8.0; follow-up, 2.0 | ODI tantalum TLIF: pre-op, 44; follow-up, 20 | Tantalum TLIF: 87%; autograft PLF: 80% | – | – | – | – | Tantalum TLIF: 2 battered nerve roots; 1 bone fragment in canal; 1 superficial wound infection; autograft PLF; 2 dural lesions; 1 bronchial pneumonia; 1 nerve root laceration |
| Autograft PLF: pre-op, 7.9; follow-up, 3.9 | ODI autograft PLF: pre-op, 46; follow-up, 28 | ||||||||
| DRI tantalum TLIF: pre-op, 56.4; follow-up, 22 | |||||||||
| DRI autograft PLF: pre-op, 52.5; follow-up, 36 | |||||||||
| Lequin et al.(2014) (n=26) | 1-level PLIF with tantalum cages | Pre-op: 90 [50–90]; follow-up: 42.5±30.2 | RMDQ: pre-op, 21.6±1.3; follow-up, 9.8±6.2 | 96% | 7.5%±11.6% | – | – | – | 2 hematomas, 2 dural tears, 4 increased or new neural deficits, 1 superficial infection |
TLIF, transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion; PLIF, posterior lumbar interbody fusion; PF, pedicle screw fixation; PLF, uninstrumented posterolateral fusion; PEEK, polyetheretherketone; VAS, Visual Analog Scale; ODI, Oswestry Disability Index; SF36, short form 36; DRI, Disability Rating Index; RMDQ, Roland Morris disability questionnaire.