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BACKGROUND: In the elderly patients with degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis, bilateral nerve root canal stenosis commonly shows only one side of symptoms. There is still controversy about whether or not decompression is needed on the side without symptoms or with less symptoms and how to operate. OBJECTIVE: To explore the safety and efficacy of robot-assisted unilateral-decompression using minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS-TLIF) technique by investigating a series of cases with the radiographic bilateral lumbar canal stenosis presenting with unilateral symptoms and by comparing clinical decompression effect and imaging changes before and after operation. METHODS: Cases with radiographic bilateral lumbar canal stenosis presenting with unilateral symptoms subjected to unilateral decompression on the affected side, interbody fusion and bilateral fixation after robot-assisted MIS-TLIF in the same treatment group were retrospectively analyzed. Operation time, intraoperative blood loss and complications were recorded. The vertebral canal cross-sectional area, intervertebral foramen height, intervertebral space height, and lumbar lordosis angle were examined before and after surgery. Visual analogue scale scores for low back pain and leg pain were assessed before and after surgery. Oswestry disability index was used to assess lumbar function before and after surgery. Macnab criteria were used to evaluate the efficacy at the final follow-up after surgery. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) Operation time was 110-235 minutes, averagely 169.4 minutes. Intraoperative blood loss was 70-180 mL, averagely 112.4 mL. (2) After 3-8 months of follow-up, the visual analogue scale scores of low back pain and lower extremity pain 1 month after surgery and in final follow-up were significantly lower than those before operation (both P 0.05). (6) It is concluded that robot-assisted unilateral-decompression MIS-TLIF obtained satisfactory effect in bilateral lumbar canal stenosis patients presenting with unilateral symptoms.
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Objective: To investigate the clinical results and complication prevention of minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS-TLIF) in the treatment of single-segment severe lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). Methods: The clinical data of 112 patients with severe LSS treated with MIS-TLIF between January 2010 and January 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 43 males and 69 females, aged 52-81 years, with an average age of 65.3 years. The disease duration ranged from 4 to 126 months, with an average of 10.5 months. Clinical manifestations: 104 cases of low back pain, 91 cases of nervous intermittent claudication of both lower limbs, 21 cases of unilateral nerve root pain and/or numbness, and 5 cases of cauda equina nerve injury. The 112 cases were all severe central spinal stenosis, including 32 cases with lateral recess stenosis, 20 cases with foramen stenosis, 9 cases with ossification of ligamentum flavum, 38 cases with disc herniation; 14 cases with two complications and 5 cases with three. Stenosis segment: L 3, 4 in 6 cases, L 4, 5 in 89 cases, and L 5, S 1 in 17 cases. Surgical methods included bilateral decompression through bilateral approach (60 cases), bilateral decompression through unilateral approach (15 cases), and unilateral decompression (37 cases). The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, visual analogue scale (VAS) score of low back pain and leg pain, Oswestry disability index (ODI) score, fusion rate, and surgical complications were recorded. At last follow-up, the lumbar fusion was evaluated by Bridwell method, grades Ⅰ and Ⅱ were expressed as fusion. Results: The operation time was 83-186 minutes (mean, 126.8 minutes), and the intraoperative blood loss was 65-630 mL (mean, 163.1 mL). All the 112 patients were followed up 25-49 months, with an average of 35.1 months. The VAS score of low back pain and leg pain and ODI score at each time point after operation were significantly improved when compared with preoperative scores ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference between the VAS score of low back pain and leg pain and ODI score at the other time points except 1 month after operation ( P<0.05). At last follow-up, 2 cases of cauda equina nerve injury recovered and 3 cases partially recovered. According to Bridwell classification criteria, 58 cases were grade Ⅰ, 47 cases were grade Ⅱ, and 7 cases were grade Ⅲ. The fusion rate was 93.8%. Perioperative complications included 5 cases of incision complications (superficial infection in 3 cases, hematoma formation in 2 cases), 19 cases of internal fixator complications (intraoperative end plate fracture in 8 cases, fusion cage sinking in 11 cases at last follow-up), and 15 cases of neurological complications (dural sac tear in 10 cases, transient neurological symptoms of lower extremities aggravated in 5 cases). Conclusion: MIS-TLIF treatment of single-level severe LSS can achieve good clinical results, while there is a risk of serious complications. Full understanding of the clinical and imaging features of the disease and reasonable and careful operation are helpful to control the occurrence of cauda equina nerve damage.
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STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study. OBJECTIVES: To compare the radiologic results of unilateral or bilateral minimal invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS TLIF) and conventional open lumbar interbody fusion. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: Only a few studies have compared the slip reduction and fusion rate between unilateral or bilateral MIS TLIF and conventional open TLIF. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between March 2007 and May 2015, 80 patients with single-level low-grade spondylolisthesis underwent unilateral MIS TLIF (26 patients), bilateral MIS TLIF (10 patients), or open TLIF (44 patients) by a single surgeon. Radiologic studies were performed preoperatively, 2 weeks postoperatively, and 12 months postoperatively. Slip reduction, the lumbar lordortic angle, and the fusion rate were analyzed. RESULTS: The 3 groups exhibited significantly improved slip after operation. Significant differences were found among the 3 groups (p=0.015) and between the MIS TLIF group (31.76%±14.42%) and the open TLIF group (41.66%±15.98%) (p=0.01) in the slip reduction rate at 2 weeks after the operation. However, no significant difference was found between unilateral MIS TLIF and bilateral MIS TLIF (37.61%±15.0% vs. 29.5%±13.82%, p=0.148). In the lumbar lordotic angle, no significant difference was found among the 3 groups. There were no significant differences among the 3 groups in slip reduction or the fusion rate at 12 months after the operation. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that unilateral MIS TLIF showed a similar slip reduction and fusion rate to bilateral MIS TLIF, but that conventional open TLIF showed better slip reduction than MIS TLIF, although it had a similar fusion rate.
Subject(s)
Humans , Retrospective Studies , SpondylolisthesisABSTRACT
STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of prospective database. PURPOSE: To compare 2-year clinical and radiological outcomes after minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS-TLIF) among “middle-age” (50–64.99 years), “young-old” (65–74.99 years), and “old-old” (>75 years) patients. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: Owing to higher perioperative morbidity and mortality rates, elderly patients with degenerative lumbar conditions are occasionally denied surgical care, even after conservative treatment failure. MIS-TLIF advantages include reduced blood loss, reduced analgesia requirements, early mobilization, and shorter hospital stays. METHODS: Between 2007 and 2012, 22 patients (age >75 years) treated with 1-2 level MIS-TLIF were matched with “young-old” and “middle-age” patients (22 each) based on race, body mass index (BMI), diagnosis, spinal level, number of spinal levels operated upon, and bone graft type. Clinical outcomes included the Oswestry disability index (ODI), neurogenic symptom score (NSS), 36-item short form health survey (SF-36), and visual analogue scale (VAS) for back and leg pain. Radiological assessment included plain radiographs and preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and plain radiographs at 1, 3, 6, and 24 months postoperatively. Fusion grade, loosening, cage migration, and adjacent segment degeneration were assessed. RESULTS: The groups had similar fluoroscopy time, operation duration, and postoperative analgesia type used. “Old-old” patients took longer to ambulate (1.6 days) and had longer hospital stays (6 days). All patients showed significant improvement in clinical outcome scores at all time-points compared with the preoperative status. “Middle-age” patients showed better ODI and SF-36 physical function scores than “old-old” patients preoperatively and 2 years post surgery. NSS, VAS (back and leg), and SF-36 mental function scores were similar between groups preoperatively and at every time-point postoperatively. Minimal clinical important differences (63.6%–95.5% at 2 years) were achieved. Grade 1 fusion occurred in a minimum of 80% patients in each group 2 years post surgery. Complication rates were similar. Adjacent segment disease occurred in 2 patients from the “young-old” group, with no significant differences between groups. CONCLUSIONS: MIS-TLIF showed comparable results in selected “old-old” patients compared with “young-old” and “middle-age” patients without increased complication risks.
Subject(s)
Aged , Humans , Analgesia , Body Mass Index , Racial Groups , Diagnosis , Early Ambulation , Fluoroscopy , Health Surveys , Leg , Length of Stay , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Mortality , Prospective Studies , Retrospective Studies , Transplants , Treatment FailureABSTRACT
Objective To assess the biomechanical stability and vertebra strain distribution of asymmetrical posterior internal fixation for minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion ( MI-TLIF) . Methods Range of motion ( ROM) and strain distribution testing were performed in 8 fresh-frozen calf lumbar spine motion segments in flexion/extension, lateral bending, and axial rotation using 5. 0 Nm torques at the L4-5 motion segment. The sequential test configurations included intact motion segment, TLIF with unilateral pedicle screw ( UPS) , TLIF with UPS plus transfacet pedicle screws ( UPS+TFPS) , and TLIF with bilateral pedicle screw ( BPS) . The ROM was deter-mined to assess the construct stability. Strain distribution was recorded along with flexion and lateral bending configurations. Results In flexion/extension, lateral bending, and axial rotation, there was no significant difference in the ROM between BPS and UPS+TFPS fixation after TLIF. After TLIF, the UPS construct provided less segment stability than BPS and UPS+TFPS fixation in flexion, lateral bending. Strain distribution under UPS+TFPS fixation was respectively 21. 8% and 24. 2% higher than that under BPS fixation along with flexion and lateral bending. Conclusion UPS+TFPS fixation provides stability comparable to that of MI-TLIF with bilateral PS, with better load share with the vertebrae body.