Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 5, 2026

Surgical Approach and Complications of Stand-alone Lateral Trans-Psoas Interbody Fusion
Published on: February 14, 2025
Does Ossification of the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament Progress After Fusion?
Sasha Vaziri1, Dennis Timothy Lockney1, Alexander B Dru1
1Lillian S. Wells Department of Neurosurgery, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
Abstract:
Starting in the 1960s, ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) became more commonly diagnosed in Japan. The disease is characterized by a gradual increase in calcification of the posterior longitudinal ligament with the eventual sequelae of cervical canal stenosis and myelopathy. Surgical interventions to relieve stenosis and neurologic symptoms are performed to decompress the cervical canal. Studies demonstrate continued ossification of the OPLL in both nonsurgical and surgically treated patients. In this review, the authors evaluate the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and literature regarding disease progression in OPLL after cervical fusion.
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