ReviewCureus2026
Understanding the Facet Joint Fusion Process: A Narrative Review for Clinicians and Surgeons Addressing the Who, Why, What, When, Where, Which, and How.
Review in Cureus, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Lumbar facet joint fusion has established itself as an important aspect of the surgical management of degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS) and related pathological conditions of the spine. Understanding the fusion process and its clinical implications is essential for optimizing patient outcomes, particularly in the context of advancing surgical techniques and imaging modalities. This narrative review aims to assess the existing evidence regarding facet joint fusion in the lumbar spine through the structured framework of WHO, WHY, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHICH, and HOW. A structured search of PubMed/MEDLINE-a freely and globally accessible database, selected so that the search can be reproduced by any reader without licensed or subscription-based access-was conducted from inception to the date of the search (15 June 2026), combining the MeSH terms "Spinal Fusion", "Spondylolisthesis", "Lumbar Vertebrae", and "Zygapophyseal Joint" with free-text variants of facet joint fusion and the principal interbody techniques. Peer-reviewed studies, consensus guidelines, and clinical trials addressing facet joint fusion, fusion rates, and postoperative outcomes were included. Facet joint fusion contributes significantly to spinal stability and favorable long-term results in DS. Patient selection (WHO), pathophysiological understanding (WHY), and surgical techniques (WHAT) - anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF), oblique lateral interbody fusion (OLIF), extreme lateral interbody fusion (XLIF), posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF), and transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) - are pivotal. Timing (WHEN), anatomical considerations (WHERE), and choice of operative and imaging methods (WHICH) influence success rates. Optimal postoperative care (HOW) is associated with reduced reoperation rates and improved quality of life. Lumbar spinal DS surgery with facet joint fusion is a complex, multifactorial process requiring careful planning, execution, and management in the dynamic process of perioperative care. This review provides a modern perspective for clinicians in the evidence-based care of this patient population.
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What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.