Lateral lumbar access surgery shows promise despite mixed outcomes

NEW ORLEANS — Lateral lumbar interbody fusion is a relatively new procedure used just in the past decade or so. Because the results to date with it are mostly heterogeneous, a presenter at the Federation of Spine Associations Specialty Day Meeting said more research needs to be done to determine if lateral access lumbar interbody fusion is truly effective in practice and in cost.

However, in a retrospective study of 293 patients treated over 6 years many patients who underwent LLIF did not see a statistically significant decrease in sensor and motor deficits or thigh pain, according to Mroz

Reference:

Mroz TE. Presentation #12. Presented at: Federation of Spine Associations Specialty Day Meeting; March 15, 2014; New Orleans.  

Disclosure: Mroz has given paid presentations for AO Spine. He is a paid consultant for Globus Medical, has stock options in Pearl Diver Inc., and is an editor for SpineLine and a deputy editor for Global Spine Journal. He is the chairman on a research committee for AOSpine North America Education Committee, NASS Radiology Section, NASS.