Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 3, 2026
Novel Mini-open Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion
Published on: June 6, 2025
[Research progress in comparison of minimally invasive versus open transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion]
Kai Su1, Ying Guo1, Zhongmin Zhang1
1Department of Orthopaedics, the 3rd Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University & Academy of Orthopaedics of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou Guangdong, 510630, P.R. China.
Objective:
To review the latest comparative research of minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) and traditional open approach.
Methods:
The domestic and foreign literature concerning the comparative research of minimally invasive TLIF and traditional open TLIF was reviewed, then intraoperative indicators, length of hospitalization, effectiveness, complication, fusion rate, and the effect on paraspinal muscles were analyzed respectively.
Results:
Minimally invasive TLIF has less blood loss and shorter length of hospitalization, but with longer operation and fluoroscopic time. Minimally invasive surgery has the same high fusion rate as open surgery, however, its effectiveness is not superior to open surgery, and complication rate is relatively higher. In the aspect of the effect on paraspinal muscles, in creatine kinase, multifidus cross-sectional area, and atrophy grading, minimally invasive surgery has no significant reduced damage on paraspinal muscles.
Conclusion:
Minimally invasive TLIF is not significantly superior to open TLIF, and it does not reduce the paraspinal muscles injury. But prospective double-blind randomized control trials are still needed for further study.
