Minilaparotomy approach to the lumbar spine

ABSTRACT

The anterior Lumbar spine L2-L4 is difficult to access because most neurosurgeons are unfamiliar with the anatomy. This study was performed to evaluate the Minilaparotomy approach to this segment of the lumbar spine. Twenty patients under went Minilaparotomy approach between December 2006 to December 2008. There were 14 men and 6 women, their main age was 42 y [range 16-60] . All patients presented with pain or neurological deficits. The causes of anteriorly located lesions were diverse, although infective spondylitis was most common. Neoplastic lesions in two patients, post traumatic lesions in two and one pathological fracture in one patient. The remaining 15 infective patients, diagnosed post operatively as 10 cases non specific infection, two pott's disease, two no bacterial growth and one patient with fungal spondylitis. The study of the muscle splitting Minilaparotomy approach to the lumbar spine proved to be safe anatomically, preferable surgically and lesser complication than the routine flank muscle cutting approach: