Minnesota Spine Surgeon Performs XLIF

Spine
Laura Dyrda -

Sunny Kim, MD, a spine surgeon at Central Minnesota Spine Center in Alexandria, Minn., has incorporated Extreme Lateral Interbody Fusion into his practice, according to an Echo Press news report.

Dr. Kim recently performed XLIF for a patient who was undergoing his fourth spine surgery. The less invasive procedure is a fusion in the lumbar and thoracic vertebrae. The surgeon enters the body from the side and creates two incisions for the procedure. A probe is used to guide the surgical instruments and detect nerves along the spine to avoid unnecessary damage during the procedure.

Dr. Kim has performed 110 XLIF procedures in the past three years. The procedure takes an hour to perform and many patients experience a faster initial recovery time than they would after an open spine procedure.

Read the Echo Press report on XLIF.

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