Burak M Ozgur1, Henry E Aryan, Luiz Pimenta, William R Taylor. 1. Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, Irvine Medical Center, 101 The City Drive South Bldg. 56, Ste. 400, Orange, 92868, USA. bozgur@ucsd.edu
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Minimally disruptive approaches to the anterior lumbar spine continue to evolve in a quest to reduce approach-related morbidity. A lateral retroperitoneal, trans-psoas approach to the anterior disc space allows for complete discectomy, distraction, and interbody fusion without the need for an approach surgeon. PURPOSE: To demonstrate the feasibility of a minimally disruptive lateral retroperitoneal approach and the advantages to patient recovery. METHODS/ RESULTS: The extreme lateral approach (Extreme Lateral Interbody Fusion [XLIF]) is described in a step-wise manner. There have been no complications thus far in the author's first 13 patients. CONCLUSIONS: The XLIF approach allows for anterior access to the disc space without an approach surgeon or the complications of an anterior intra-abdominal procedure. Longer-term follow-up and data analysis are under way, but initial findings are encouraging.
BACKGROUND: Minimally disruptive approaches to the anterior lumbar spine continue to evolve in a quest to reduce approach-related morbidity. A lateral retroperitoneal, trans-psoas approach to the anterior disc space allows for complete discectomy, distraction, and interbody fusion without the need for an approach surgeon. PURPOSE: To demonstrate the feasibility of a minimally disruptive lateral retroperitoneal approach and the advantages to patient recovery. METHODS/ RESULTS: The extreme lateral approach (Extreme Lateral Interbody Fusion [XLIF]) is described in a step-wise manner. There have been no complications thus far in the author's first 13 patients. CONCLUSIONS: The XLIF approach allows for anterior access to the disc space without an approach surgeon or the complications of an anterior intra-abdominal procedure. Longer-term follow-up and data analysis are under way, but initial findings are encouraging.
Authors: Mustafa Alkadhim; Carmine Zoccali; Salman Abbasifard; Mauricio J Avila; Apar S Patel; Kamran Sattarov; Christina M Walter; Ali A Baaj Journal: Eur Spine J Date: 2015-10-20 Impact factor: 3.134