Abstract:Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of autologous inferior articular process bone block-assisted lumbar interbody fusion (LIF) in the treatment of lumbar degenerative disease with osteoporosis.Methods A total of 112 patients with lumbar degenerative disease and osteoporosis admitted to our hospital from June 2021 to June 2023 were selected and randomly assigned using stratified random sampling to control group (n = 56) and experimental group (n = 56). The control group received autologous iliac bone grafts to assist LIF, while the experimental group received autologous inferior articular process bone grafts to assist LIF. Clinical indicators, pain status [McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) scores], lumbar function [Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scores], quality of life [Short Form-36 (SF-36) scores], lumbar lordosis (LL), segmental lordosis (SL), fusion gap angle (DL), intervertebral height (DH), DH improvement rate, fusion rate, and postoperative complications (infection, donor site pain, nerve injury, graft resorption, graft collapse) were compared between the two groups.Results The operative time and intraoperative blood loss were significantly lower in the experimental group than in the control group (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences between the two groups in postoperative drainage volume, lumbar bone mineral density, or length of hospital stay (P > 0.05). Repeated measures ANOVA showed that at 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively, MPQ, ODI, JOA, and SF-36 scores differed significantly across time points and between groups (P < 0.05); the experimental group had lower MPQ and ODI scores and higher JOA and SF-36 scores than the control group. The trends of MPQ score changes between groups were not statistically different (P > 0.05), but ODI, JOA, and SF-36 score trends differed significantly (P < 0.05). LL, SL, and DL values differed significantly across time points (P < 0.05), but not between groups or in their change trends (P > 0.05). DH values also changed significantly over time (P < 0.05) but showed no significant between-group differences or trend differences (P > 0.05). The DH improvement rate at 1 month postoperatively was significantly lower in the experimental group (P < 0.05), while the DH improvement rate at 3 and 6 months showed no significant difference (P > 0.05). At 6 months, the fusion rate was significantly higher in the experimental group (P < 0.05), while the difference at 3 months was not significant (P > 0.05). The total incidence of complications was significantly lower in the experimental group than in the control group (P < 0.05).Conclusion Autologous inferior articular process bone graft-assisted LIF for lumbar degenerative disease with osteoporosis can effectively improve clinical indicators and lumbar function, enhance quality of life, reduce postoperative complications, promote vertebral fusion, and demonstrates significant clinical value.