Surgical Evaluation of Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion and Posterior Instrumentation in Degenerative Lumbar Spine

Jigar B chhapan; Saral J Patel; Bharat R Dave; Pankaj R Patel

Volume : III, Issue : VII, July - 2014

Surgical Evaluation of Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion and Posterior Instrumentation in Degenerative Lumbar Spine

Jigar B Chhapan, Saral J Patel, Bharat R Dave, Pankaj R Patel

Abstract :

The goal of fusion of the lumbar spine is to obtain primary solid arthrodesis thus to alleviate pain. The TLIF procedure has rapidly gained popularity; because of its posterolateral extracanalar discectomy and fusion, it has been reported as a safe technique, without the potential complications.(1) A retrospective clinical and radiographic study of 46 patients with symptomatic degenerative lumbar spine treated with TLIF was performed. In this study improvement in ODI score from 63% to 13% and in mJOA score from 9 to 25 at final follow up. The advantages of this technique are: few complications, the simplicity and speed of execution and versatility, less neurologic injury. Few complications encountered during study do not affect overall long term outcome. Adjacent segment disease and accelerated disc degeneration above or below the level of fusion is major concern on long term follow-up.