Impairment of Perineal Care Functions After Extended Lumbar Fusion

PURPOSE: To retrospectively evaluate the ability to perform perineal care in patients following extended lumbar fusion. Additionally, we sought to evaluate whether fusions stopping at L5 preserved this ability in comparison with patients fused to the sacrum.

METHODS: 14 patients with fusions from L1 or above to L5 or below completed a questionnaire on their functional ability.

RESULTS: 36 percent (5/14) of patients indicated a difficulty performing perineal care following fusion. Three patients were fused to L5 and two to S1. Ending a fusion at L5 did not significantly reduce the frequency of perineal care problems compared to extending the fusion to the sacrum (p = 0.27).

CONCLUSIONS: We found that extended lumbar fusion is associated with difficulty performing perineal care. Stopping fusion at L5 versus S1 did not appear have a significant impact on the patients’ ability to perform this care.