Your Surgical Options: Spinal Fusion
Benefits of Minimally Invasive Surgery
Minimally invasive surgery, or MIS, offers the following benefits:
- less likelihood of post-operative conditions normally associated
with traditional procedures
- reduction of blood loss during surgery
- less post-operative pain
- a rapid return to normal daily activities
- a shorter hospital stay
- less pain medication required
This new AxiaLIF approach further enables the surgeon to minimize the
risks associated with other fusion procedures.
The AxiaLIF approach allows the surgeon to access the lumbar spine with
significantly less concern for easily damaged obstacles such as vital
nerves, blood vessels, and muscles.
PLIF (Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion)
PLIF is traditionally an “open” surgery, meaning that it is an open back surgery where back muscles are moved out of the way in order to perform the procedure. Because these muscles are being pulled from their attachments to the spine, the surgery can cause pain and scarring from the dissection of the muscles.
TLIF (Transforminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion)
TLIF is a technique that allows the surgeon to access the disc space from
the back, but insert bone graft into that space from the side. Many fusion
surgeries are performed because past spinal surgeries and their implants
have failed. This transforaminal technique restores disc height, reduces
instability in the spine caused by spondylolisthesis and Degenerative Disc Disease, and corrects lordosis.
ALIF (Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion)
ALIF is a procedure that has been used traditionally for lumbar spinal fusions. The surgeon enters through the abdomen to access the lower back. The risks associated with this approach are significant if the patient has had multiple abdominal procedures in the past which could have caused scarring and damage. There are a lot of nerves and vessels between the entry point and the spine, so the passageway is restricted.
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