Clinical Insights on Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion (TLIF) Implantations Following Spinal Fusion Surgery: Enhancing and Monitoring Bone Health in Patients

Abstract

Francesco Puglia,1 Marcello Ferraro,2 Valentina Longhi,2,3 Enrico Gallazzi,2 Giovanni Andrea La Maida2 1Specialized Unit of Pediatric Orthopedics and Traumatology, ASST Gaetano Pini/CTO, Milan, Italy; 2Specialized Unit of Spinal Disorders and Scoliosis, ASST Gaetano Pini/CTO, Milan, Italy; 3Orthopedics and Traumatology Residency Program, University of Milan, Milan, ItalyCorrespondence: Francesco Puglia, Specialized Unit of Pediatric Orthopedics and Traumatology, ASST Gaetano Pini/CTO, Milan, Italy, Email [email protected]: Spinal degenerative diseases are major contributors to chronic back pain and disability. Transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) is a widely used surgical approach to address these conditions by achieving vertebral fusion. The success of TLIF is significantly influenced by bone health, particularly bone mineral density (BMD), as low BMD increases risks of complications such as cage subsidence and pseudarthrosis. This systematic review evaluated factors predictive of TLIF outcomes, focusing on BMD, bone graft materials, and postoperative bone health monitoring. A comprehensive literature search was conducted according to PRISMA modalities, and ten studies met the inclusion criteria. This review emphasizes the importance of preoperative BMD assessment and tailored surgical strategies in optimizing TLIF outcomes. Future research should focus on defining BMD thresholds, developing innovative graft materials, and long-term studies to improve surgical success in TLIF procedures.Keywords: TLIF, bone health, bone mineral density, fusion, transforaminal interbody fusion

Keywords

• TLIF
• bone health
• bone mineral density
• fusion
• transforaminal interbody fusion.