A comparison of the bilateral decompression via unilateral approach versus conventional approach transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion for the treatment of lumbar degenerative disc disease in the elderly

Table 5 Fatty degeneration ratio and lumbar muscularity of the paraspinal muscles of two groups using MRI

Variable	BDUA			Control			p-value	Significance
Fatty degeneration ratio %	preoperative	6 month	Change (%)	preoperative	6 month	Change (%)
Affected side	7.96 ± 2.86	11.68 ± 3.08	2.69 ± 2.24	8.59 ± 3.77	11.38 ± 4.60	2.79 ± 4.57	0.9601	ns
opposite side	8.93 ± 3.48	9.42 ± 3.17	1.46 ± 2.80	8.89 ± 3.23	12.97 ± 4.58	4.09 ± 5.05	0.0143	*
p-value	0.2893	0.006		0.7472	0.1845
Significance	ns	**		ns	ns
Area of muscle/vertebral body %
Affected side	137.9 ± 37.2	142.3 ± 45.1	4.5 ± 7.9	135.7 ± 16.1	149.9 ± 44.7	1.09 ± 11.4	0.1781	ns
Opposite side	149.4 ± 36.0	150.9 ± 39.9	1.5 ± 16.1	136.8 ± 37.3	145.7 ± 36.8	−4.11 ± 13.7	0.1039	ns
p-value	0.1487	0.3536		0.1685	0.3502
Significance	ns	ns		ns	ns

Note: Data shown as number or mean ± standard deviation. P < 0.05, significant difference
Independent samples t test

ISSN: 1471-2474