Mini-Open Anterior Retroperitoneal Lumbar Interbody Fusion: Oblique Lateral Interbody Fusion for Lumbar Spinal Degeneration Disease

PURPOSE: Surgery for lumbar spinal degeneration disease is widely performed. While posterior decompression and fusion are popular, anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) is also used for treatment. Extreme lateral interbody fusion (XLIF) is commonly used for noninvasive ALIF; however, several complications, such as spinal nerve and psoas muscle injury, have been reported. In the current study, we examined the clinical efficacy and complications of oblique lateral interbody fusion (OLIF) for lumbar spinal degeneration disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-five patients with degenerated spondylolisthesis, discogenic pain, and kyphoscoliosis were examined. All patients underwent OLIF surgery (using a cage and bone graft from the iliac crest) with or without posterior decompression, without real-time electromyography monitoring. Posterior screws were used in all patients. Visual analog scale (VAS) score and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) were evaluated before and 6 months after surgery. Surgical complications were also evaluated. RESULTS: Pain scores significantly improved after surgery, compared to those before surgery (p<0.05). There was no patient who underwent revision surgery. There was no spinal nerve, major vessel, peritoneal, or urinary injury. Few patients showed symptoms from psoas invasion. CONCLUSION: OLIF surgery produced good surgical results without any major complication.

Microvascular decompression for primary trigeminal neuralgia / 中国微创外科杂志

ObjectiveTo evaluate the safety and efficacy o f microvascular deco mpression in the management of primary trigeminal neuralgia.Methods We review ed 13 patients with unilateral primary trigeminal neuralgia treated by microvasc ular decompression. Conventional spin-echo (SE) sequence and 3-D fast inflow wit h steady-state precession (3-D-FISP) sequence MRI scans were used preoperatively to find evidence of neurovascular compression. The operation was accessed by re trosigmoidal approach and the nerve root was separated away from pressure vessel s by artificial vascular patch.ResultsDuring operations it w as found that tr igeminal nerves were pressed on by blood vessels in all the cases (by the superi or cerebellar artery in 11 cases; by the basilar artery and the superior cerebel lar artery in 1 case; and by the vein in 1 case). Complete pain relief was achie ved in all the patients without mortality or permanent complications. Eleven pat ients were clinically followed for 6～24 months with a mean of 13 months, and no recurrence was seen. ConclusionsMicrovascular decompression is a safe and effective procedure in the treatment of primary trigeminal neuralgia.