Lumbar spinal fusion has been a mainstay in spine surgery. Here six things to know about the procedure in 2025:
1. Lumbar spinal fusions are among the most common lumbar spine procedures done from 2015 to 2023, according to the 2025 American Spine Registry. The most common cases include TLIF/PLIF (32.3%), PLF (28.7%) and ALIF/LLIF (17.2%).
2. The top lumbar spine component manufacturers include Medtronic, Globus Medical, Johnson & Johnson, Baxter and Stryker.
3. The most common complications in all lumbar spine surgeries include infections (64.8%) and hematoma or wound complications (6.3%).
4. Some spine surgeons expect lumbar spinal fusion techniques to make strides in ASCs.
“Minimally invasive lateral interbody fusions (LLIF) I expect will be performed more frequently in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) due to advancements in surgical techniques, anesthesia, and patient selection criteria,” Jeff Lehmen, MD, said. “I have been doing this for quite some time and the results have been great. Posterior fixation with or without lateral fixation can be added in the same position or prone depending on surgeon preference and whether it is a prone or lateral procedure.”
5. Although lumbar spinal fusions are common, many spine surgeons say the procedure isn’t as cost-effective compared to disc replacements or microdiscectomy.
6. Semaglutide use in patients with Type 2 diabetes was associated with reduced postoperative complications after 90 days of single-level posterior lumbar fusions, a study found.
