Surgical Incision and Approach in Thoracolumbar Extreme Lateral Interbody Fusion Surgery: An Anatomic Study of the Diaphragmatic Attachments.

STUDY DESIGN Cadaveric study. OBJECTIVE To provide anatomical basis for deciding the surgical approach and skin incision in thoracolumbar extreme lateral interbody fusion (XLIF) by delineating the attachment points of diaphragm. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Although the general anatomy of the thoracic diaphragm is well described, the specific attachment points of diaphragm concerned with the XLIF approach is yet to be elaborated. METHODS Dissections were performed on 21 cases of formalin fixed specimens (12 males, 9 females, a total of 42 sets of data). Special attention was paid to the attachment points of diaphragm on both sides at the midaxillary line (MAL point) and the vertebral level parallel to the MAL point (VL-MAL). The attachment points of diaphragm on the front and back edge of the spinal column (FES point and BES point) were also described. RESULTS The MAL point of diaphragm muscle lied between the inferior edge of the 10th rib and the superior edge of the 12th rib (20 out of 21 on left, 21 out of 21 on right). VL-MAL lied between L1 and L2 vertebrae level (20 out of 21 on left, 18 out of 21 on right). The attachments on both sides of the vertebral column mainly located between the upper edge of T12 vertebrae and L1-L2 disc (38 out of 42). CONCLUSION A transthoracic approach should be considered when the target level was above T12 vertebrae, whereas a retroperitoneal approach should be chosen when target level was below L1-L2 disc. If the target level is located between T12 and L1-L2 disc, whether via transthoracic, retropleural, or retroperitoneal approach should be determined according to the conditions of patients and the skill and experience of the surgeon. Incision should be made above the 10th rib for the transthoracic approach and below the 12th rib for the retroperitoneal approach. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 4.