Scientific Reports (Jun 2021)

Comparison of outcomes between indirect decompression of oblique lumbar interbody fusion and MIS-TLIF in one single-level lumbar spondylosis

  • Shih-Feng Hung,
  • Jen-Chung Liao,
  • Tsung-Ting Tsai,
  • Yun-Da Li,
  • Ping-Yeh Chiu,
  • Ming-Kai Hsieh,
  • Fu-Cheng Kao

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-92330-9
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 1
pp. 1 – 11

Abstract

Read online

Abstract Minimal invasive spinal fusion has become popular in the last decade. Oblique lumbar interbody fusion (OLIF) is a relatively new surgical technique and could avoid back muscle stripping and posterior complex destruction as in minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS-TLIF). Between December 2016 and September 2018, patients with single level degenerative spondylosis were selected to enroll in this retrospective study. A total of 21 patients that underwent OLIF and 41 patients that received MIS-TLIF were enrolled. OLIF showed significantly less blood loss and shorter surgery time compared to MIS-TLIF (p < 0.05). The improvement in segmental lordosis and coronal balance was significantly more in OLIF group than MIS-TLIF group (p < 0.05). When comparing with MIS-TLIF, OLIF was significantly better in Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and visual analogue scale for back pain improvement at post-operative 6 months (p < 0.05). Both OLIF and MIS-TLIF are becoming mainstream procedures for lumbar degenerative-related disease, especially for spondylolisthesis. However, the indirect decompression of OLIF has shown to have less perioperative blood loss and shorter surgery time than that of MIS-TLIF. In addition, OLIF gives superior outcome in restoring segmental lordosis and coronal imbalance. While both OLIF and MIS-TLIF provide optimal clinical outcomes, upon comparison between the two techniques, the indirect decompression of OLIF seems to be a superior option in modern days.