Lumbar Spine – Minimally Invasive TLIF
Lumbar interbody fusion is a surgical procedure that attempts to eliminate instability in the back. A Minimally Invasive Surgery Lumbar Interbody Fusion (MIS TLIF) achieves this by using a less invasive approach to fuse one or more vertebrae together to reduce their motion.
In a MIS TLIF procedure, rather than starting from the middle of the back and spreading the muscles to the sides like in a traditional back surgery, the MIS TLIF approach starts off to one side of the back and splits (rather than cuts) the back muscles in one direction. This allows the surgeon to make a smaller incision with less muscle injury, which may result in less postoperative pain and a quicker recovery.
What are the potential advantages of MIS TLIF?
- Reduced blood loss and minimal scarring
- Reduced hospital stay
- Faster postoperative recovery time
- Smaller incision
Are there risks involved?
Keep in mind that all surgical procedures present risks and complications that are important to discuss with your physician prior to your surgery. Listening to your physician’s guidance both before and after surgery will help to ensure the best possible outcomes from your procedure. Some of the most common complications following MIS TLIF surgery include: problems with anesthesia, infection, nerve damage, problems with the graft or hardware, and ongoing pain. This is not intended to be a complete list of the possible complications.