scholarly journals Spinal versus general anesthesia for minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion: implications on operating room time, pain, and ambulation

2021 ◽  
Vol 51 (6) ◽  
pp. E3
Author(s):  
Gaetano De Biase ◽  
Shaun E. Gruenbaum ◽  
James L. West ◽  
Selby Chen ◽  
Elird Bojaxhi ◽  
...  

OBJECTIVE There has been increasing interest in the use of spinal anesthesia (SA) for spine surgery, especially within Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols. Despite the wide adoption of SA by the orthopedic practices, it has not gained wide acceptance in lumbar spine surgery. Studies investigating SA versus general anesthesia (GA) in lumbar laminectomy and discectomy have found that SA reduces perioperative costs and leads to a reduction in analgesic use, as well as to shorter anesthesia and surgery time. The aim of this retrospective, case-control study was to compare the perioperative outcomes of patients who underwent minimally invasive surgery (MIS)–transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) after administration of SA with those who underwent MIS-TLIF under GA. METHODS Overall, 40 consecutive patients who underwent MIS-TLIF by a single surgeon were analyzed; 20 patients received SA and 20 patients received GA. Procedure time, intraoperative adverse events, postoperative adverse events, postoperative length of stay, 3-hour postanesthesia care unit (PACU) numeric rating scale (NRS) pain score, opioid medication, and time to first ambulation were collected for each patient. RESULTS The two groups were homogeneous for clinical characteristics. A decrease in total operating room (OR) time was found for patients who underwent MIS-TLIF after administration of SA, with a mean OR time of 156.5 ± 18.9 minutes versus 213.6 ± 47.4 minutes for patients who underwent MIS-TLIF under GA (p < 0.0001), a reduction of 27%. A decrease in total procedure time was also observed for SA versus GA (122 ± 16.7 minutes vs 175.2 ± 10 minutes; p < 0.0001). No significant differences were found in intraoperative and postoperative adverse events. There was a difference in the mean maximum NRS pain score during the first 3 hours in the PACU as patients who received SA reported a lower pain score compared with those who received GA (4.8 ± 3.5 vs 7.3 ± 2.7; p = 0.018). No significant difference was observed in morphine equivalents received by the two groups. A difference was also observed in the mean overall NRS pain score, with 2.4 ± 2.1 for the SA group versus 4.9 ± 2.3 for the GA group (p = 0.001). Patients who received SA had a shorter time to first ambulation compared with those who received GA (385.8 ± 353.8 minutes vs 855.9 ± 337.4 minutes; p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS The results of this study have pointed to some important observations in this patient population. SA offers unique advantages in comparison with GA for performing MIS-TLIF, including reduced OR time and postoperative pain, and faster postoperative mobilization.

2005 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 218-223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jee-Soo Jang ◽  
Sang-Ho Lee

Object. The purpose of this study was to introduce a minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) technique that involves ipsilateral pedicle screw (PS) and contralateral facet screw (FS) fixation. Methods. Eight men and 15 women (mean age 59.5 years, range 48–68) underwent the aforementioned TLIF procedure for degenerative spondylolisthesis and uni- or bilateral radiculopathy. Twenty-two patients underwent one-level fusion and one patient two-level fusion (L4—S1). In all cases the various procedures were undertaken via one small incision. There were no intraoperative complications. The mean estimated blood loss (EBL) was 310 ml, and the mean operative time was 150 minutes in cases of one-level fusion. The follow-up period ranged from 13 to 28 months (mean 19 months). The mean Numeric Rating Scale score reflected improvement-reductions from 7.5 (back pain) and 7.4 (leg pain) to 2.3 and 0.7, respectively (p < 0.0001). The mean Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores also reflected improved status (ODI of 33.1 before the surgery to 7.6 after the surgery; p < 0.0001). Examination indicated that 22 of 24 fusion sites exhibited osseous union. At the last follow-up examination, satisfactory outcomes were observed in 21 out of 23 patients. Conclusions. The TLIF with ipsilateral PS and contralateral FS fixation has the advantages over the conventional TLIF of reduced EBL and diminished soft-tissue injury.


2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 204-212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamid Rahmatullah Bin Abd Razak ◽  
Priyesh Dhoke ◽  
Kae-Sian Tay ◽  
William Yeo ◽  
Wai-Mun Yue

<sec><title>Study Design</title><p>Retrospective review of prospective registry data.</p></sec><sec><title>Purpose</title><p>To determine 5-year clinical and radiological outcomes of single-level instrumented minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS-TLIF) in patients with neurogenic symptoms secondary to spondylolisthesis.</p></sec><sec><title>Overview of Literature</title><p>MIS-TLIF and open approaches have been shown to yield comparable outcomes. This is the first study to assess MIS-TLIF outcomes using the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) criterion.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>The outcomes of 56 patients treated by a single surgeon, including the Oswestry disability index (ODI), neurogenic symptom score, short-form 36 questionnaire (SF-36), and visual analog scale (VAS) scores for back pain (BP), and leg pain (LP), were collected prospectively for up to 5 years postoperatively. Radiological outcomes included adjacent segment degeneration, fusion, cage subsidence, and screw loosening rates.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>Our patients were predominantly female (71.4%) and had a mean age of 53.7±11.3 years and mean body mass index of 25.7±3.7 kg/m<sup>2</sup>. The mean operative time, blood loss, time to ambulation, and hospitalization were 167±49 minutes, 126±107 mL, 1.2±0.4 days, and 2.8±1.1 days, respectively. The mean fluoroscopic time was 58.4±33 seconds, and the mean postoperative intravenous morphine dose was 8±2 mg. Regarding outcomes, postoperative scores improved relative to preoperative scores, and this was sustained across various time points for up to 5 years (<italic>p</italic>&lt;0.001). Improvements in ODI, SF-36, VAS-BP, and VAS-LP all met the MCID criterion. Notably, 5.4% of our patients developed clinically significant adjacent segment disease during follow-up, and 7 minor complications were reported.</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusions</title><p>Single-level instrumented MIS-TLIF is suitable for patients with neurogenic symptoms secondary to lumbar spondylolisthesis and is associated with an acceptable complication rate. Both clinical and radiological outcomes were sustained up to 5 years postoperatively, with many patients achieving an MCID.</p></sec>


2008 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. E16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Park ◽  
Kevin T. Foley

Minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MI-TLIF) is a relatively new surgical procedure that appears to minimize iatrogenic soft tissue and muscle injury. The authors describe a technique for MI-TLIF that permits the surgeon to reduce spondylolisthesis percutaneously. The results in 40 consecutive patients who underwent MI-TLIF for symptomatic spondylolisthesis utilizing this approach are reviewed. Thirty cases involved a degenerative spondylolisthesis while the remaining 10 were isthmic. The minimum follow-up was 24 months with a mean of 35 months. The mean preoperative Oswestry Disability Index score was 55, decreasing to a mean of 16 postoperatively. The mean leg and back pain visual analog scale scores were 65 and 52, respectively, improving to means of 8 and 15. Reduction of the spondylolisthesis was achieved in all cases, with a mean decrease in forward translation of 76%. The authors conclude that MI-TLIF for symptomatic spondylolisthesis appears to be an effective surgical option with results that compare favorably to open procedures.


2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. E14 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Paul G. Kolcun ◽  
G. Damian Brusko ◽  
Gregory W. Basil ◽  
Richard Epstein ◽  
Michael Y. Wang

OBJECTIVEOpen spinal fusion surgery is often associated with significant blood loss, postoperative pain, and prolonged recovery times. Seeking to minimize surgical and perioperative morbidity, the authors adopted an endoscopic minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS-TLIF) technique performed without general anesthesia. In this report, they present data on the first 100 patients treated with this procedure.METHODSThe authors conducted a retrospective review of the first 100 patients who underwent awake endoscopic MIS-TLIF at a single institution between 2014 and 2017. Surgery was performed while the patient was sedated but without intubation or the use of general anesthetic or narcotic agents. Long-lasting (liposomal) bupivacaine was used for local analgesia. The discectomy and placement of an expandable interbody graft were performed endoscopically, followed by percutaneous pedicle screw implantation. Inclusion criteria for the procedure consisted of diagnosis of degenerative disc disease with grade I or II spondylolisthesis and evidence of spinal stenosis or nerve impingement with intractable symptomatology.RESULTSOf the first 100 patients, 56 were female and 44 were male. Single-level fusion was performed in 84 patients and two-level fusion in 16 patients. The most commonly fused level was L4–5, representing 77% of all fused levels. The mean (± standard deviation) operative time was 84.5 ± 21.7 minutes for one-level fusions and 128.1 ± 48.6 minutes for two-level procedures. The mean intraoperative blood loss was 65.4 ± 76.6 ml for one-level fusions and 74.7 ± 33.6 ml for two-level fusions. The mean length of hospital stay was 1.4 ± 1.0 days. Four deaths occurred in the 100 patients; all four of those patients died from complications unrelated to surgery. In 82% of the surviving patients, 1-year follow-up Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) data were available. The mean preoperative ODI score was 29.6 ± 15.3 and the mean postoperative ODI score was 17.2 ± 16.9, which represents a significant mean reduction in the ODI score of −12.3 using a two-tailed paired t-test (p = 0.000001). In four cases, the surgical plan was revised to include general endotracheal anesthesia intraoperatively and was successfully completed. Other complications included two cases of cage migration, one case of osteomyelitis, and one case of endplate fracture; three of these complications occurred in the first 50 cases.CONCLUSIONSThis series of the first 100 patients to undergo awake endoscopic MIS-TLIF demonstrates outcomes comparable to those reported in our earlier papers. This procedure can provide a safe and efficacious option for lumbar fusion with less morbidity than open surgery. Further refinements in surgical technique and technologies will allow for improved success.


2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 256-262 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis Alberto Ortega-Porcayo ◽  
Andres Leal-López ◽  
Miroslava Elizabeth Soriano-López ◽  
Carlos Francisco Gutiérrez-Partida ◽  
Luis Rodolfo Ramírez-Barrios ◽  
...  

<sec><title>Study Design</title><p>Retrospective comparative clinical study.</p></sec><sec><title>Purpose</title><p>This study aimed to assess paraspinal muscle atrophy in patients who underwent minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MI-TLIF) and unilateral pedicle screw fixation using a novel contralateral intact muscle-controlled model.</p></sec><sec><title>Overview of Literature</title><p>The increased incidence of paravertebral lumbar muscle injuries after open techniques has raised the importance of implementing minimally invasive spine surgical techniques using tubular retractors and minimally invasive screw placement. The functional cross-sectional area (FCSA) represents the lean muscle mass; furthermore, FCSA is a useful marker of the contractile ability of a muscle following a spine surgery. However, the benefits of unilateral fixation and MI-TLIF on paraspinal muscles have not been defined.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>We performed a retrospective imagenological review on eleven patients who underwent unilateral MI-TLIF and unilateral transpedicular screw lumbar placement. FCSAs of the multifidus and erector spinae were measured 1 year after surgery at adjacent levels and were compared to the contralateral intact muscles. Measurement differences between the surgical and nonsurgical sites were compared. The interobserver reliability was calculated using an intraclass correlation coefficient.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>The mean FCSA at the surgical site was 20.97±5.07 cm<sup>2</sup> at the superior level and 8.89±2.87 cm<sup>2</sup> at the inferior level. The mean FCSA at the contralateral nonsurgical site was 20.15±5.95 cm<sup>2</sup> at the superior level and 9.20±2.66 cm<sup>2</sup> at the inferior level was. The superior and inferior FCSA measurements showed no significant difference between the surgical and nonsurgical sites (<italic>p</italic>=0.5, <italic>p</italic>=0.922, respectively).</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusions</title><p>Using a mini-open tubular approach through the sulcus between the longissimus and iliocostalis, MI-TLIF and unilateral pedicle screw instrumentation produced minimal paraspinal muscle damage at the superior and inferior adjacent levels.</p></sec>


2014 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 644-652 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel W. Terman ◽  
Timothy J. Yee ◽  
Darryl Lau ◽  
Adam A. Khan ◽  
Frank La Marca ◽  
...  

Object Minimally invasive (MI) transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) has been demonstrated in previous studies to offer improvement in pain and function comparable to those provided by the open surgical approach. However, comparative studies in the obese population are scarce, and it is possible that obese patients may respond differently to these two approaches. In this study, the authors compared the clinical benefit of open and MI TLIF in obese patients. Methods The authors conducted a retrospective cohort study based on review of electronic medical records at a single institution. Eligible patients had a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m2, were ≥ 18 years of age, underwent single-level TLIF between 2007 and 2011, and outcome was assessed at a minimum 6 months postoperatively. The authors categorized patients according to surgical approach (open vs MI TLIF). Outcome measures included postoperative improvement in visual analog scale (VAS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), estimated blood loss (EBL), and hospital length of stay (LOS). Results A total 74 patients (21 open and 53 MI TLIF) were studied. Groups had similar baseline characteristics. The median BMI was 34.4 kg/m2 (interquartile range 31.6–37.5 kg/m2). The mean follow-up time was 30 months (range 6.5–77 months). The mean improvement in VAS score was 2.8 (95% CI 1.9–3.8) for the open group (n = 21) and 2.4 (95% CI 1.8–3.1) for the MI group (n = 53), which did not significantly differ (unadjusted, p = 0.49; adjusted, p = 0.51). The mean improvement in ODI scores was 13 (95% CI 3–23) for the open group (n = 14) and 15 (95% CI 8–22) for the MI group (n = 45), with no significant difference according to approach (unadjusted, p = 0.82; adjusted, p = 0.68). After stratifying by BMI (< 35 kg/m2 and ≥ 35 kg/m2), there was still no difference in either VAS or ODI improvement between the approaches (both unadjusted and adjusted, p > 0.05). Complications and EBL were greater for the open group than for the MI group (p < 0.05). Conclusions Obese patients experienced clinically and statistically significant improvement in both pain and function after undergoing either open or MI TLIF. Patients achieved similar clinical benefit whether they underwent an open or MI approach. However, patients in the MI group experienced significantly decreased operative blood loss and complications than their counterparts in the open group.


2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 518-529
Author(s):  
Jawad M Khalifeh ◽  
Christopher F Dibble ◽  
Priscilla Stecher ◽  
Ian Dorward ◽  
Ammar H Hawasli ◽  
...  

Abstract BACKGROUND Advances in operative techniques and instrumentation technology have evolved to maximize patient outcomes following minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS-TLIF). The transfacet MIS-TLIF is a modified approach to the standard MIS-TLIF that leverages a bony working corridor to access the disc space for discectomy and interbody device placement. OBJECTIVE To evaluate clinical and radiographic results following transfacet MIS-TLIF using an expandable interbody device. METHODS We performed a retrospective review of consecutive patients who underwent transfacet MIS-TLIF for degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis. Patient-reported outcome measures for pain and disability were assessed. Sagittal lumbar segmental parameters and regional lumbopelvic parameters were assessed on upright lateral radiographs obtained preoperatively and during follow-up. RESULTS A total of 68 patients (61.8% male) underwent transfacet MIS-TLIF at 74 levels. The mean age was 63.4 yr and the mean follow-up 15.2 mo. Patients experienced significant short- and long-term postoperative improvements on the numeric rating scale for low back pain (–2.3/10) and Oswestry Disability Index (−12.0/50). Transfacet MIS-TLIF was associated with an immediate and sustained reduction of spondylolisthesis, and an increase in index-level disc height (+0.71 cm), foraminal height (+0.28 cm), and segmental lordosis (+6.83°). Patients with preoperative hypolordosis (&lt;40°) experienced significant increases in segmental (+9.10°) and overall lumbar lordosis (+8.65°). Pelvic parameters were not significantly changed, regardless of preoperative alignment. Device subsidence was observed in 6/74 (8.1%) levels, and fusion in 50/53 (94.3%) levels after 12 mo. CONCLUSION Transfacet MIS-TLIF was associated with clinical improvements and restoration of radiographic sagittal segmental parameters. Regional alignment correction was observed among patients with hypolordosis at baseline.


2021 ◽  
Vol 51 (6) ◽  
pp. E4
Author(s):  
Kingsley Abode-Iyamah ◽  
Abdul Karim Ghaith ◽  
Archis R. Bhandarkar ◽  
Gaetano De Biase ◽  
Rami Rajjoub ◽  
...  

OBJECTIVE Awake transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) is a novel technique for performing spinal fusions in patients under conscious sedation. Whether awake TLIF can reduce operative times and decrease the hospital length of stay (LOS) remains to be shown. In this study, the authors sought to assess the differences in clinical outcomes between patients who underwent awake TLIF and those who underwent TLIF under general anesthesia by using institutional experience at the Mayo Clinic and the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database. METHODS Chart review was performed for a consecutive series of patients who underwent single-level minimally invasive surgery (MIS)–TLIF performed by a single surgeon (K.A.I.) at a single institution. Additionally, the NSQIP database was queried from 2016 to 2019 for patients who underwent awake TLIF as well as propensity score–matched patients who underwent TLIF under general anesthesia. RESULTS A total of 20 patients at Mayo Clinic underwent awake single-level MIS-TLIF. The mean operative time was 122 ± 16.68 minutes, and the mean estimated blood loss was 39 ± 30.24 ml. No intraoperative complications were reported. A total of 96 patients who underwent TLIF (24 awake and 72 under general anesthesia) were analyzed from the NSQIP database. The mean LOS was less in the awake cohort (1.4 ± 1.381 days) than the general anesthesia cohort (3 ± 2.274 days) (p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS Evidence from the authors’ institutional experience and national analysis has demonstrated that awake MIS-TLIF is efficient and can reduce hospital LOS.


2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-35
Author(s):  
Mladen Djurasovic ◽  
Jeffrey L. Gum ◽  
Charles H. Crawford ◽  
Kirk Owens ◽  
Morgan Brown ◽  
...  

OBJECTIVEThe midline transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIDLIF) using cortical screw fixation is a novel, minimally invasive procedure that may offer enhanced recovery over traditional open transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF). Little information is available regarding the comparative cost-effectiveness of the MIDLIF over conventional TLIF. The purpose of this study was to compare cost-effectiveness of minimally invasive MIDLIF with open TLIF.METHODSFrom a prospective, multisurgeon, surgical database, a consecutive series of patients undergoing 1- or 2-level MIDLIF for degenerative lumbar conditions was identified and propensity matched to patients undergoing TLIF based on age, sex, smoking status, BMI, diagnosis, American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status Classification System (ASA) class, and levels fused. Direct costs at 1 year were collected, including costs associated with the index surgical visit as well as costs associated with readmission. Improvement in health-related quality of life was measured using EQ-5D and SF-6D.RESULTSOf 214 and 181 patients undergoing MIDLIF and TLIF, respectively, 33 cases in each cohort were successfully propensity matched. Consistent with propensity matching, there was no difference in age, sex, BMI, diagnosis, ASA class, smoking status, or levels fused. Spondylolisthesis was the most common indication for surgery in both cohorts. Variable direct costs at 1 year were $2493 lower in the MIDLIF group than in the open TLIF group (mean $15,867 vs $17,612, p = 0.073). There was no difference in implant (p = 0.193) or biologics (p = 0.145) cost, but blood utilization (p = 0.015), operating room supplies (p < 0.001), hospital room and board (p < 0.001), pharmacy (p = 0.010), laboratory (p = 0.004), and physical therapy (p = 0.009) costs were all significantly lower in the MIDLIF group. Additionally, the mean length of stay was decreased for MIDLIF as well (3.21 vs 4.02 days, p = 0.05). The EQ-5D gain at 1 year was 0.156 for MIDLIF and 0.141 for open TLIF (p = 0.821). The SF-6D gain at 1 year was 0.071 for MIDLIF and 0.057 for open TLIF (p = 0.551).CONCLUSIONSCompared with patients undergoing traditional open TLIF, those undergoing MIDLIF have similar 1-year gains in health-related quality of life, with total direct costs that are $2493 lower. Although the findings were not statistically significant, minimally invasive MIDLIF showed improved cost-effectiveness at 1 year compared with open TLIF.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document