OBJECTIVE To evaluate the radiographic results of minimally invasive (MIS) anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) and transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF). METHODS Twelve and nineteen patients who underwent MIS-ALIF, MIS-TLIF, respectively, from 2006 to 2008 were analyzed with a minimum 24-months' follow-up. Additionally, 18 patients treated with single level open TLIF surgery in 20...

STUDY DESIGN  Systematic review. OBJECTIVE  To determine if there is a weight change in overweight patients following lumbar decompression with or without fusion for lumbar degenerative conditions. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND  Anecdotal evidence suggests obesity is a risk factor for recurrent disc herniation or adjacent segment degeneration after lumbar surgery. Weight loss after surgery therefor...

BACKGROUND The benefits of posterior lumbar fusion surgery with orthotopic paraspinal muscle-pediculated bone flaps are well established. However, the problem of non-union due to mechanical support is not completely resolved. The aim of the study was to compare the efficacy of polyether ether ketone (PEEK) rod device with conventional titanium devices in the posterior lumbar fusion surgery with...

background : the use of antibiotic prior to surgery is widely accepted. the who has recommended the use of atc/ddd (anatomical therapeutic chemical / defined daily dose) for the analysis of drug utilization.the aims of the present study are 1) to analyze the assessment of prophylactic antibiotic usage prior to surgery, 2) to assess the drug administration based on antibiograms and 3) to compare...

BACKGROUND The costs and outcomes following degenerative spine surgery may vary from surgeon to surgeon. Patient factors such as comorbidities may increase the health care cost. These variations are not well studied. OBJECTIVE To understand the variation in outcomes, costs, and comorbidity-adjusted cost for surgeons performing lumbar laminectomy and fusions surgery. METHODS A total of 752 p...

To the authors' knowledge, no comparative studies exist of venous thromboembolism (VTE) based on different pathologies, surgical procedures, or spinal levels after spinal surgery. The authors prospectively investigated VTE after elective spinal surgery. The study comprised 4 patient groups. Group 1 comprised 79 patients with lumbar spinal stenosis treated with posterior decompression without fu...

Lumbar fusion is commonly performed to alleviate chronic low back and leg pain secondary to disc degeneration, spondylolisthesis with or without concomitant lumbar spinal stenosis, or chronic lumbar instability. However, the risk of iatrogenic injury during traditional anterior, posterior, and transforaminal open fusion surgery is significant. The axial lumbar interbody fusion (AxiaLIF) system ...