The anterior-to-psoas approach for interbody fusion at the L5–S1 segment: clinical and radiological outcomes

OBJECTIVEOver the last few decades, many surgical techniques for lumbar interbody fusion have been reported. The anterior-to-psoas (ATP) approach is theoretically supposed to benefit from the advantages of both anterior and lateral approaches with similar complication rates, even in L5–S1. At this segment, the anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) requires retroperitoneal dissection and retraction of major vessels, whereas the iliac crest does not allow the lateral transpsoas approach. This study aimed to investigate clinical-radiological outcomes and complications of the ATP approach at the L5–S1 segment in a single cohort of patients.METHODSThis is a prospective single-center study, conducted from 2016 to 2019. Consecutive patients who underwent ATP at the L5–S1 segment for degenerative disc disease or revision surgery after previous posterior procedures were considered for eligibility. Complete clinical-radiological documentation and a minimum follow-up of 12 months were set as inclusion criteria. Clinical patient-reported outcomes, such as the visual analog scale for low-back pain, Oswestry Disability Index, and 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) scores, as well as spinopelvic parameters, were collected preoperatively, 6 weeks after surgery, and at the last follow-up visit. Intraoperative and perioperative complications were recorded. The fusion rate was evaluated on CT scans obtained at 12 months postoperatively.RESULTSThirty-two patients met the inclusion criteria. The mean age at the time of surgery was 57.6 years (range 44–75 years). The mean follow-up was 33.1 months (range 13–48 months). The mean pre- and postoperative visual analog scale (7.9 ± 1.3 vs 2.4 ± 0.8, p < 0.05), Oswestry Disability Index (52.8 ± 14.4 vs 22.9 ± 6.0, p < 0.05), and SF-36 (37.3 ± 5.8 vs 69.8 ± 6.1, p < 0.05) scores significantly improved. The mean lumbar lordosis and L5–S1 segmental lordosis significantly increased after surgery. The mean pelvic incidence–lumbar lordosis mismatch and pelvic tilt significantly decreased. No intraoperative complications and a postoperative complication rate of 9.4% were recorded. The fusion rate was 96.9%. One patient needed a second posterior revision surgery for residual foraminal stenosis.CONCLUSIONSIn the present case series, ATP fusion for the L5–S1 segment has resulted in valuable clinical-radiological outcomes and a relatively low complication rate. Properly designed clinical and comparative trials are needed to further investigate the role of ATP for different L5–S1 conditions.

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The impact of increasing interbody fusion levels at the fractional curve on lordosis, curve correction, and complications in adult patients with scoliosis

Journal of Neurosurgery Spine ◽

10.3171/2020.6.spine20256 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-10

Author(s):

Dominic Amara ◽

Praveen V. Mummaneni ◽

Shane Burch ◽

Vedat Deviren ◽

Christopher P. Ames ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Postoperative Complications ◽

Revision Surgery ◽

Lumbar Lordosis ◽

Interbody Fusion ◽

Pelvic Incidence ◽

Secondary Analysis ◽

Lumbar Interbody Fusion ◽

Curve Correction ◽

Surgery Rates

OBJECTIVERadiculopathy from the fractional curve, usually from L3 to S1, can create severe disability. However, treatment methods of the curve vary. The authors evaluated the effect of adding more levels of interbody fusion during treatment of the fractional curve.METHODSA single-institution retrospective review of adult patients treated for scoliosis between 2006 and 2016 was performed. Inclusion criteria were as follows: fractional curves from L3 to S1 > 10°, ipsilateral radicular symptoms concordant on the fractional curve concavity side, patients who underwent at least 1 interbody fusion at the level of the fractional curve, and a minimum 1-year follow-up. Primary outcomes included changes in fractional curve correction, lumbar lordosis change, pelvic incidence − lumbar lordosis mismatch change, scoliosis major curve correction, and rates of revision surgery and postoperative complications. Secondary analysis compared the same outcomes among patients undergoing posterior, anterior, and lateral approaches for their interbody fusion.RESULTSA total of 78 patients were included. There were no significant differences in age, sex, BMI, prior surgery, fractional curve degree, pelvic tilt, pelvic incidence, pelvic incidence − lumbar lordosis mismatch, sagittal vertical axis, coronal balance, scoliotic curve magnitude, proportion of patients undergoing an osteotomy, or average number of levels fused among the groups. The mean follow-up was 35.8 months (range 12–150 months). Patients undergoing more levels of interbody fusion had more fractional curve correction (7.4° vs 12.3° vs 12.1° for 1, 2, and 3 levels; p = 0.009); greater increase in lumbar lordosis (−1.8° vs 6.2° vs 13.7°, p = 0.003); and more scoliosis major curve correction (13.0° vs 13.7° vs 24.4°, p = 0.01). There were no statistically significant differences among the groups with regard to postoperative complications (overall rate 47.4%, p = 0.85) or need for revision surgery (overall rate 30.7%, p = 0.25). In the secondary analysis, patients undergoing anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) had a greater increase in lumbar lordosis (9.1° vs −0.87° for ALIF vs transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion [TLIF], p = 0.028), but also higher revision surgery rates unrelated to adjacent-segment pathology (25% vs 4.3%, p = 0.046). Higher ALIF revision surgery rates were driven by rod fracture in the majority (55%) of cases.CONCLUSIONSMore levels of interbody fusion resulted in increased lordosis, scoliosis curve correction, and fractional curve correction. However, additional levels of interbody fusion up to 3 levels did not result in more postoperative complications or morbidity. ALIF resulted in a greater lumbar lordosis increase than TLIF, but ALIF had higher revision surgery rates.

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Posterior corrective surgery with a multilevel transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion and a rod rotation maneuver for patients with degenerative lumbar kyphoscoliosis

Journal of Neurosurgery Spine ◽

10.3171/2016.7.spine16172 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 26 (2) ◽

pp. 150-157 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Akira Matsumura ◽

Takashi Namikawa ◽

Minori Kato ◽

Tomonori Ozaki ◽

Yusuke Hori ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Interbody Fusion ◽

Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion ◽

Ct Imaging ◽

Patient Questionnaire ◽

Lumbar Interbody Fusion ◽

Corrective Surgery ◽

Sf 36 ◽

Scoliosis Correction ◽

The Mean

The purpose of this study was to assess the clinical results of posterior corrective surgery using a multilevel transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) with a rod rotation (RR) and to evaluate the segmental corrective effect of a TLIF using CT imaging. The medical records of 15 consecutive patients with degenerative lumbar kyphoscoliosis (DLKS) who had undergone posterior spinal corrective surgery using a multilevel TLIF with an RR technique and who had a minimum follow-up of 2 years were retrospectively reviewed. Radiographic parameters were evaluated using plain radiographs, and segmental correction was evaluated using CT imaging. Clinical outcomes were evaluated with the Scoliosis Research Society Patient Questionnaire-22 (SRS-22) and the SF-36. The mean follow-up period was 46.7 months, and the mean age at the time of surgery was 60.7 years. The mean total SRS-22 score was 2.9 before surgery and significantly improved to 4.0 at the latest follow-up. The physical functioning, role functioning (physical), and social functioning subcategories of the SF-36 were generally improved at the latest follow-up, although the changes in these scores were not statistically significant. The bodily pain, vitality, and mental health subcategories were significantly improved at the latest follow-up (p < 0.05). Three complications occurred in 3 patients (20%). The Cobb angle of the lumbar curve was reduced to 20.3° after surgery. The overall correction rate was 66.4%. The pelvic incidence–lumbar lordosis (preoperative/postoperative = 31.5°/4.3°), pelvic tilt (29.2°/18.9°), and sagittal vertical axis (78.3/27.6 mm) were improved after surgery and remained so throughout the follow-up. Computed tomography image analysis suggested that a 1-level TLIF can result in 10.9° of scoliosis correction and 6.8° of lordosis. Posterior corrective surgery using a multilevel TLIF with an RR on patients with DLKS can provide effective correction in the coronal plane but allows only limited sagittal correction.

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Prospective multicenter study of minimally invasive surgery for the treatment of adult spinal deformity

Journal of Neurosurgery Spine ◽

10.3171/2021.8.spine21369 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-8

Author(s):

Gregory M. Mundis ◽

Jakub Godzik ◽

Paul Park ◽

Kai-Ming Fu ◽

Stacie Tran ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Minimally Invasive Surgery ◽

Minimally Invasive ◽

Multicenter Study ◽

Interbody Fusion ◽

Adult Spinal Deformity ◽

Lumbar Interbody Fusion ◽

Inclusion Criteria ◽

Prospective Multicenter Study ◽

The Mean

OBJECTIVE Traditional surgery for adult spinal deformity (ASD) is effective but may result in exposure-related morbidity. Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) can potentially minimize this morbidity; however, high-level evidence is lacking. This study presents the first prospective multicenter investigation of MIS approaches for ASD. METHODS A prospective multicenter study was conducted. Inclusion criteria were age ≥ 18 years, with at least one of the following radiographic criteria: coronal Cobb (CC) angle ≥ 20°, sagittal vertical axis (SVA) > 5 cm, pelvic tilt (PT) > 25°, and thoracic kyphosis > 60°. Additional inclusion criteria were circumferential MIS, including interbody fusion (transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion [TLIF], lateral lumbar interbody fusion [LLIF], or anterior lumbar interbody fusion [ALIF]) with percutaneous posterior fixation on a minimum of 4 intervertebral levels. Radiographic and clinical outcomes (visual analog scale [VAS], Oswestry Disability Index [ODI], and Scoliosis Research Society–22 [SRS-22]) were collected preoperatively and at 12 months postoperatively; preoperative and postoperative values were compared using paired Student t-tests. RESULTS Seventy-five patients with a minimum 1-year follow-up were identified (75 of 111; 67.6%). The mean ± SD age was 68.8 ± 9.0 years, and 48 patients (64%) were female. Patients underwent a mean of 6.7 ± 2.9 levels of fusion with LLIF (85%), ALIF (55%), and TLIF (9%); the mean estimated blood loss was 547.6 ± 567.2 mL, and the mean length of stay was 7.0 ± 3.7 days. Significant improvements were observed in ODI (−19 ± 12.9, p < 0.001), SRS-22 (0.8 ± 0.66, p < 0.001), VAS back (−4.3 ± 2.8, p < 0.001), and VAS leg (−3.0 ± 3.2, p < 0.001) scores. Significant decreases in SVA (−26.4 ± 53.6 mm; p < 0.001), pelvic incidence–lumbar lordosis (−11.3° ± 14.9°, p < 0.001), and CC angle (−12.1° ± 11.8°, p < 0.001) were also observed. Complications occurred in 39 patients (52%); 11 patients (15%) experienced major complications, and 16 patients (21%) required reoperation. CONCLUSIONS MIS approaches for ASD resulted in meaningful symptomatic improvement. The complication rates were similar to historic norms, with a fairly high reoperation rate at 1 year. Longer follow-up will be necessary to evaluate the durability of this approach in the treatment of ASD.

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Obesity may be associated with adjacent-segment degeneration after single-level transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion in spinopelvic-mismatched patients with a minimum 2-year follow-up

Journal of Neurosurgery Spine ◽

10.3171/2020.6.spine20159 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 34 (1) ◽

pp. 83-88

Author(s):

Ping-Guo Duan ◽

Praveen V. Mummaneni ◽

Minghao Wang ◽

Andrew K. Chan ◽

Bo Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Interbody Fusion ◽

Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion ◽

Adjacent Segment Degeneration ◽

Adjacent Segment ◽

Lumbar Interbody Fusion ◽

Inclusion Criteria ◽

Single Level ◽

Degenerative Lumbar Spondylolisthesis ◽

Surgery Rates

OBJECTIVEIn this study, the authors’ aim was to investigate whether obesity affects surgery rates for adjacent-segment degeneration (ASD) after transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) for spondylolisthesis.METHODSPatients who underwent single-level TLIF for spondylolisthesis at the University of California, San Francisco, from 2006 to 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. Inclusion criteria were a minimum 2-year follow-up, single-level TLIF, and degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis. Exclusion criteria were trauma, tumor, infection, multilevel fusions, non-TLIF fusions, or less than a 2-year follow-up. Patient demographic data were collected, and an analysis of spinopelvic parameters was performed. The patients were divided into two groups: mismatched, or pelvic incidence (PI) minus lumbar lordosis (LL) ≥ 10°; and balanced, or PI-LL < 10°. Within the two groups, the patients were further classified by BMI (< 30 and ≥ 30 kg/m2). Patients were then evaluated for surgery for ASD, matched by BMI and PI-LL parameters.RESULTSA total of 190 patients met inclusion criteria (72 males and 118 females, mean age 59.57 ± 12.39 years). The average follow-up was 40.21 ± 20.42 months (range 24–135 months). In total, 24 patients (12.63% of 190) underwent surgery for ASD. Within the entire cohort, 82 patients were in the mismatched group, and 108 patients were in the balanced group. Within the mismatched group, adjacent-segment surgeries occurred at the following rates: BMI < 30 kg/m2, 2.1% (1/48); and BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2, 17.6% (6/34). Significant differences were seen between patients with BMI ≥ 30 and BMI < 30 (p = 0.018). A receiver operating characteristic curve for BMI as a predictor for ASD was established, with an AUC of 0.69 (95% CI 0.49–0.90). The optimal BMI cutoff value determined by the Youden index is 29.95 (sensitivity 0.857; specificity 0.627). However, in the balanced PI-LL group (108/190 patients), there was no difference in surgery rates for ASD among the patients with different BMIs (p > 0.05).CONCLUSIONSIn patients who have a PI-LL mismatch, obesity may be associated with an increased risk of surgery for ASD after TLIF, but in obese patients without PI-LL mismatch, this association was not observed.

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Outcomes of Oblique Lateral Interbody Fusion for Adult Spinal Deformity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Global Spine Journal ◽

10.1177/2192568220979145 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 219256822097914

Author(s):

Lei Zhu ◽

Jun-Wu Wang ◽

Liang Zhang ◽

Xin-Min Feng

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Lumbar Lordosis ◽

Interbody Fusion ◽

Perioperative Complications ◽

Adult Spinal Deformity ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Fusion Rate ◽

The Mean ◽

Oblique Lateral Interbody Fusion ◽

Lateral Interbody

Study Design: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Objectives: To evaluate clinical and radiographic outcomes, and perioperative complications of oblique lateral interbody fusion (OLIF) for adult spinal deformity (ASD). Methods: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of related studies reporting outcomes of OLIF for ASD. The clinical outcomes were assessed by visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). The radiographic parameters were evaluated by sagittal vertical axis (SVA), pelvic tilt (PT), sacral slope (SS), thoracic kyphosis (TK), lumbar lordosis (LL), pelvic incidence-lumbar lordosis (PI-LL), Cobb angle and fusion rate. A random effects model and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were performed to investigate the results. Results: A total of 16 studies involving 519 patients were included in the present study. The mean difference of VAS-back score, VAS-leg score and ODI score before and after surgery was 5.1, 5.0 and 32.3 respectively. The mean correction of LL was 20.6°, with an average of 6.9° per level and the mean correction of Cobb was 16.4°, with an average of 4.7° per level. The mean correction of SVA, PT, SS, TK and PI-LL was 59.3 mm, 11.7°, 6.9°, 9.4° and 20.6° respectively. The mean fusion rate was 94.1%. The incidence of intraoperative and postoperative complications was 4.9% and 29.6% respectively. Conclusions: OLIF is an effective and safe surgery method in the treatment of mild or moderate ASD and it has advantages in less intraoperative blood loss and lower perioperative complications.

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The radiological outcome in lumbar interbody fusion among rheumatoid arthritis patients: a 20-year retrospective study

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders ◽

10.1186/s12891-021-04531-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Kuan-Kai Tung ◽

Yun-Che Wu ◽

Kun-Hui Chen ◽

Chien-Chou Pan ◽

Wen-Xian Lu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rheumatoid Arthritis ◽

Interbody Fusion ◽

Fusion Rate ◽

Substantial Improvement ◽

Lumbar Interbody Fusion ◽

Subsidence Rate ◽

Radiographic Outcomes ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Cage Subsidence

Abstract Background Clinical outcomes amongst Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) patients have shown satisfactory results being reported after lumbar surgery. The increased adoption of the interbody fusion technique has been due to a high fusion rate and less invasive procedures. However, the radiographic outcome for RA patients after receiving interbody fusion has scarcely been addressed in the available literature. Methods Patients receiving interbody fusion including ALIF, OLIF, and TLIF were examined for implant cage motion and fusion status at two-year follow-up. Parameters for the index correction level including ADH, PDH, WI, SL, FW, and FH were measured and compared at pre-OP, post-OP, and two-year follow-up. Results We enrolled 64 RA patients at 104 levels (mean 64.0 years old, 85.9% female) received lumbar interbody fusion. There were substantial improvement in ADH, PDH, WI, SL, FW, and FH after surgery, with both ADH and PDH having significantly dropped at two-year follow up. The OLIF group suffered from a higher subsidence rate with no significant difference in fusion rate when compared to TLIF. The fusion rate and subsidence rate for all RA patients was 90.4 and 28.8%, respectively. Conclusions We revealed the radiographic outcomes of lumbar interbody fusions towards symptomatic lumbar disease in RA patients with good fusion outcome despite the relative high subsidence rate amongst the OLIF group. Those responsible for intra-operative endplate management should be more cautious to avoid post-OP cage subsidence.

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Outcomes of 2-level posterior lumbar interbody fusion for 2-level degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis

Journal of Neurosurgery Spine ◽

10.3171/2013.4.spine12651 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

pp. 90-94 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Hironobu Sakaura ◽

Tomoya Yamashita ◽

Toshitada Miwa ◽

Kenji Ohzono ◽

Tetsuo Ohwada

Keyword(s):

Lumbar Spine ◽

Clinical Outcome ◽

Interbody Fusion ◽

Sagittal Alignment ◽

Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion ◽

Adjacent Segment ◽

Lumbar Interbody Fusion ◽

Single Level ◽

The Mean

Object A systematic review concerning surgical management of lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS) showed that a satisfactory clinical outcome was significantly more likely with adjunctive spinal fusion than with decompression alone. However, the role of adjunctive fusion and the optimal type of fusion remain controversial. Therefore, operative management for multilevel DS raises more complicated issues. The purpose of this retrospective study was to elucidate clinical and radiological outcomes after 2-level PLIF for 2-level DS with the least bias in determination of operative procedure. Methods Since 2005, all patients surgically treated for lumbar DS at the authors' hospital have been treated using posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) with pedicle screws, irrespective of severity of slippage, patient age, or bone quality. The authors conducted a retrospective review of 20 consecutive cases involving patients who underwent 2-level PLIF for 2-level DS and had been followed up for 2 years or longer (2-level PLIF group). They also analyzed data from 92 consecutive cases involving patients who underwent single-level PLIF for single-level DS during the same time period and had been followed for at least 2 years (1-level PLIF group). This second group served as a control. Clinical status was assessed using the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score. Fusion status and sagittal alignment of the lumbar spine were assessed by comparing serial plain radiographs. Surgery-related complications and the need for additional surgery were evaluated. Results The mean JOA score improved significantly from 12.8 points before surgery to 20.4 points at the latest follow-up in the 2-level PLIF group (mean recovery rate 51.8%), and from 14.2 points preoperatively to 22.5 points at the latest follow-up in the single-level PLIF group (mean recovery rate 55.3%). At the final follow-up, 95.0% of patients in the 2-level PLIF group and 96.7% of those in the 1-level PLIF group had achieved solid spinal fusion, and the mean sagittal alignment of the lumbar spine was more lordotic than before surgery in both groups. Early surgery-related complications, including transient neurological complications, occurred in 6 patients in the 2-level PLIF group (30.0%) and 11 patients in the 1-level PLIF group (12.0%). Symptomatic adjacent-segment disease was found in 4 patients in the 2-level PLIF group (20.0%) and 10 patients in the 1-level PLIF group (10.9%). Conclusions The clinical outcome of 2-level PLIF for 2-level lumbar DS was satisfactory, although surgery-related complications including symptomatic adjacent-segment disease were not negligible.

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Feasibility of Endoscopic Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion through the Posterior Paraspinal Approach: Technical Note and Preliminary Result

10.21203/rs.3.rs-28307/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Hyeun-Sung Kim ◽

Harshavardhan Dilip Raorane ◽

Pang Hung Wu ◽

Dong Hwa Heo ◽

Yeon Jin Yi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Lumbar Lordosis ◽

Interbody Fusion ◽

Plain Radiograph ◽

Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion ◽

Disc Height ◽

Graft Material ◽

Lumbar Interbody Fusion ◽

Paraspinal Approach ◽

Segmental Lordosis

Abstract Background: The implement of endoscopic spinal surgery into degenerative spinal disease has minimized the requirement of fusion procedures. However, it is still necessary to develop endoscopic spine surgery in certain patients requiring fusion such as instability. We performed a full-endoscopic transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion(eTLIF) through a conventional paraspinal approach. The feasibility of procedure and early outcome were evaluated.Materials and Methods: eighteen consecutive patients with degenerative lumbar disease underwent eTLIF through a conventional paraspinal approach. Their clinical outcomes were evaluated with visual analog scale(VAS) leg pain score, Oswestry Disability Index(ODI) and the MacNab's criteria; radiological outcome measured with segmental lordosis, global lumbar lordosis, disc height on plain radiograph and percentage of potential fusion mass on CT scan at pre-operative, post-operative and final follow up period. intra operative and post-operative complications noted.Results: Mean age was 63. 71 years and Mean follow-up periods was 7.78 months. According to the level, L2-3 (1 case), L3-4 (4 cases), L4-5 (13 cases) and L5-S1 (2 cases). In the X-ray result, mean segmental lordosis angle(SLA) improved in pre-operative/post-operative/follow-up period 9.87±2.74 degree/ 11.79±3.74 degree/ 10.56±3.69 degree (p > 0.01); mean lumbar lordosis angle(LLA) improved 37.1±7.04 degree/ 39.2±7.13 degree/ 35.7±7.25 degree(p > 0.01). Mean preoperative disc height(DH) improved from 8.97±1.49 mm/ 12.34±1.39 mm/ 11.44±1.98 mm (p < 0.01). In the CT result, Average percentage of fusion mass was 42.61%. VAS was improved significantly, 7.67 / 3.39 / 2.5 and ODI was improved significantly, 74.9 / 34.56 / 27.76 by each preoperative / postoperative / final follow-up. In the clinical result, excellent was 5 cases and good was 13 cases. Conclusion: According to the results of this study, eTLIF was competent enough to perform as open TLIF. and good results were obtained in the form of endplate preservation, disc height restoration, minimal blood loss and post-operative pain with early mobilization. In addition, the fusion volume including the cage and the bone graft material occupies 40% to 50% of disc space is expected to give sufficient fusion by using 3D printed cages which gives the high fusion rate. In conclusion, eTLIF is considered to be a viable surgical procedure.

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“Pin Method” for Endoscopic Lumbar Interbody Fusion

Journal of Neurological Surgery Part A Central European Neurosurgery ◽

10.1055/s-0041-1726107 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ting-Chun Huang

Keyword(s):

Interbody Fusion ◽

Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion ◽

Fusion Rate ◽

Skin Incision ◽

Neurogenic Claudication ◽

Lumbar Interbody Fusion ◽

Neural Structure ◽

Oriented Parallel ◽

Blind Spots

Abstract Background Endoscopic lumbar interbody fusion using a cage can have a similar fusion rate as minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS-TLIF) or open lumbar interbody fusion. Direct visual control during cage insertion is the key to prevent neural structure incarceration in endoscopic lumbar interbody fusion. Creating a track with any kind of retractor or cannula for cage insertion under fluoroscopic guidance is not safe enough, because the retractor and cannula can create many blind spots and can displace during cage insertion. Method The pin method utilizes two flexible metallic guide pins inserted from the skin incision through the annulotomy site into the disk space until the anterior longitudinal ligament is reached under direct endoscopic monitoring. The two guide pins could be oriented parallel or perpendicular or even reduce to one or increase to many as needed to serve as a sliding track and a see-through barrier to prevent neural incarceration. Results and Conclusion Two cases of L4/L5 grade 2 spondylolisthesis with neurogenic claudication were treated with endoscopic lumbar interbody fusion with 1-year follow-up, and the visual analog scale (VAS) score, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) score, EuroQol five-dimensional questionnaire (EQ-5D, %) score, and modified Macnab score all improved greatly in both. The author developed an original, cheap, accessible, and safe method called the “pin method,” which can be used in both full-endoscopic and biportal surgery and can apply to various approaches and has no limitation on the size and shape of the cage.

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Short-term outcomes of lateral lumbar interbody fusion without decompression for the treatment of symptomatic degenerative spondylolisthesis at L4–5

Neurosurgical FOCUS ◽

10.3171/2017.10.focus17566 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 44 (1) ◽

pp. E6 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Peter G. Campbell ◽

Pierce D. Nunley ◽

David Cavanaugh ◽

Eubulus Kerr ◽

Philip Andrew Utter ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Interbody Fusion ◽

Degenerative Spondylolisthesis ◽

Sensory Loss ◽

Motor Deficit ◽

Lumbar Interbody Fusion ◽

Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion ◽

Estimated Blood Loss ◽

Indirect Decompression ◽

The Mean

OBJECTIVERecently, authors have called into question the utility and complication index of the lateral lumbar interbody fusion procedure at the L4–5 level. Furthermore, the need for direct decompression has also been debated. Here, the authors report the clinical and radiographic outcomes of transpsoas lumbar interbody fusion, relying only on indirect decompression to treat patients with neurogenic claudication secondary to Grade 1 and 2 spondylolisthesis at the L4–5 level.METHODSThe authors conducted a retrospective evaluation of 18 consecutive patients with Grade 1 or 2 spondylolisthesis from a prospectively maintained database. All patients underwent a transpsoas approach, followed by posterior percutaneous instrumentation without decompression. The Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and SF-12 were administered during the clinical evaluations. Radiographic evaluation was also performed. The mean follow-up was 6.2 months.RESULTSFifteen patients with Grade 1 and 3 patients with Grade 2 spondylolisthesis were identified and underwent fusion at a total of 20 levels. The mean operative time was 165 minutes for the combined anterior and posterior phases of the operation. The estimated blood loss was 113 ml. The most common cage width in the anteroposterior dimension was 22 mm (78%). Anterior thigh dysesthesia was identified on detailed sensory evaluation in 6 of 18 patients (33%); all patients experienced resolution within 6 months postoperatively. No patient had lasting sensory loss or motor deficit. The average ODI score improved 26 points by the 6-month follow-up. At the 6-month follow-up, the SF-12 mean Physical and Mental Component Summary scores improved by 11.9% and 9.6%, respectively. No patient required additional decompression postoperatively.CONCLUSIONSThis study offers clinical results to establish lateral lumbar interbody fusion as an effective technique for the treatment of Grade 1 or 2 degenerative spondylolisthesis at L4–5. The use of this surgical approach provides a minimally invasive solution that offers excellent arthrodesis rates as well as favorable clinical and radiological outcomes, with low rates of postoperative complications. However, adhering to the techniques of transpsoas lateral surgery, such as minimal table break, an initial look-and-see approach to the psoas, clear identification of the plexus, minimal cranial caudal expansion of the retractor, mobilization of any traversing sensory nerves, and total psoas dilation times less than 20 minutes, ensures the lowest possible complication profile for both visceral and neural injuries even in the narrow safe zones when accessing the L4–5 disc space in patients with degenerative spondylolisthesis.

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