Korean J Spine.  2010 Dec;7(4):249-254.

Mini-Transthoracic Supradiaphragmatic Approach to the Thoracolumbar Junction

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Neurosurgery, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. j7chang@gmail.com
  • 2Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, California, USA.

Abstract

Anterior reconstruction with instrumentation of the thoracolumbar junction (TLJ) offers: 1) the biomechanical advantage of immediate restoration of the load-bearing anterior column and 2) the ideal biological milieu for an optimal arthrodesis. The authors describe the mini-transthoracic supradiaphragmatic (MTTS) approach to the TLJ. Its technical feasibility is compared with that of the traditional transdiaphragmatic and thoracoscopic supradiaphragmatic approaches to this area of the spine. This technique was performed in 21 patients from 2004 to 2006. There were no surgical mortalities. The MTTS approach without the use of a thoracoscope was successfully employed in this study to treat patients with various lesions located at the TLJ. The diaphragmatic opening, even at its smallest diameter, provides excellent views of the operative field and avoids the significant morbidities associated with the traditional transdiaphragmatic approach.

Keyword

Thoracolumbar junction; Diaphragm; Mini-transthoracic approach

MeSH Terms

Arthrodesis
Diaphragm
Humans
Imidazoles
Nitro Compounds
Spine
Stearates
Thoracoscopes
Weight-Bearing
Imidazoles
Nitro Compounds
Stearates
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