Asian Spine J.  2012 Jun;6(2):89-97. 10.4184/asj.2012.6.2.89.

Complications and Morbidities of Mini-open Anterior Retroperitoneal Lumbar Interbody Fusion: Oblique Lumbar Interbody Fusion in 179 Patients

• Silvestre
• Mac-Thiong JM
• Hilmi R
• Roussouly

• KMID: 1743279
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4184/asj.2012.6.2.89

Abstract

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective study including 179 patients who underwent oblique lumbar interbody fusion (OLIF) at one institution. PURPOSE: To report the complications associated with a minimally invasive technique of a retroperitoneal anterolateral approach to the lumbar spine. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: Different approaches to the lumbar spine have been proposed, but they are associated with an increased risk of complications and a longer operation.
METHODS
A total of 179 patients with previous posterior instrumented fusion undergoing OLIF were included. The technique is described in terms of: the number of levels fused, operative time and blood loss. Persurgical and postsurgical complications were noted.
RESULTS
Patients were age 54.1 +/- 10.6 with a BMI of 24.8 +/- 4.1 kg/m2. The procedure was performed in the lumbar spine at L1-L2 in 4, L2-L3 in 54, L3-L4 in 120, L4-L5 in 134, and L5-S1 in 6 patients. It was done at 1 level in 56, 2 levels in 107, and 3 levels in 16 patients. Surgery time and blood loss were, respectively, 32.5 +/- 13.2 minutes and 57 +/- 131 ml per level fused. There were 19 patients with a single complication and one with two complications, including two patients with postoperative radiculopathy after L3-5 OLIF. There was no abdominal weakness or herniation.
CONCLUSIONS
Minimally invasive OLIF can be performed easily and safely in the lumbar spine from L2 to L5, and at L1-2 for selected cases. Up to 3 levels can be addressed through a 'sliding window'. It is associated with minimal blood loss and short operations, and with decreased risk of abdominal wall weakness or herniation.

Keyword

Anterior approach; Interbody fusion; Lumbar spine; Minimally invasive surgery

MeSH Terms

Abdominal Wall
Humans
Operative Time
Radiculopathy
Retrospective Studies
Spine