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Is laparoscopic anterior lumbar interbody fusion a useful minimally invasive procedure?
John C Liu1, Stephen L Ondra, Peter Angelos
1Department of Neurological Surgery, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Objective:
Laparoscopic anterior lumbar interbody fusion (LALIF) has been demonstrated to be safe and effective. Its use as a standard surgical technique has been recommended for arthrodesis in the lumbosacral region. We reviewed our experience with LALIF for safety, effectiveness, and usefulness.
Methods:
Retrospective review of 14 patients who underwent LALIF was performed. All patients had a diagnosis of degenerative disc disease with medically retractable mechanical back pain.
Results:
No intraoperative vascular or neurological injury was encountered. An average operating time of 300 minutes with blood loss of 60 ml was found. The average hospital stay was 3.4 days. At 3 to 6 months after surgery, 80% fusion rates were achieved.
Conclusion:
Although LALIF is a safe and effective procedure, it has many disadvantages, which make it a less than optimal procedure for routine use. Other minimally invasive approaches to the anterior lumbar spine result in similar beneficial results without the drawbacks associated with LALIF.