A new study published in the Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques examines outcomes for patients undergoing minimally invasive lateral lumbar interbody fusion.
There were 118 patients included in the study who were followed for two years after minimally invasive LLIF. Typically surgeons use tubular retractors to minimize tissue damage and neuromonitoring during the procedure.
The researchers found:
1. These scores improved significantly at the final two-year follow-up:
• Visual Analog Scale for pain
• Oswestry Disability Index
• Physical components summary
2. The mental components summary of the short Form-12 did not show improvement after two years.
3. The disc height, coronal angulation and lordotic angulation at each level, as well as the Cobb angle, were restored. The restoration occurred at a statistically significant extent.
4. Fusion was successful achieved in 209 patients — 88 percent.
5. The most frequent complication was transient thigh pain, which occurred in 36 percent of the patients.
"Our results support the efficacy of minimally invasive LLIF in improvements of clinical and radiographic features," concluded the study authors.