Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion (XLIF)

Lateral lumbar interbody fusion (XLIF) is a type of spinal fusion surgery that is growing in popularity because it is relatively minimally invasive. During this procedure, surgeons access the deteriorated intervertebral disc in the lumbar spine, which can cause lower back pain, and replace it with a bone graft. Assuming the surgery is a success, the adjacent vertebrae fuse together, stabilizing the spine and removing the source of the patient’s discomfort. Spine surgeries, like lateral lumbar interbody fusion, can provide pain relief, but are normally only attempted when all conservative, noninvasive treatments have been exhausted.

The Procedure

During an extreme lateral lumbar interbody fusion (XLIF), spine surgeons position the patient on his or her side and make two small incisions. Using a probe tool, the surgeon accesses the intervertebral disc in the lumbar spine that has been previously diagnosed as the cause of the patient’s back pain. Nerves and muscles are gently pushed aside, and the intervertebral disc is carefully extracted from between the two lumbar vertebrae. Once the disc is removed, a bone graft is installed in its place and the surgery is completed.

Symptoms that XLIF May Treat

This procedure may be recommended when a degenerative disc condition in the spine has caused the intervertebral discs to bulge or herniate, which has led to the compression of one of the spinal nerves. Nerve compression can cause a variety of symptoms, including:

• Local back pain
• Pain that radiates along the affected nerve
• Numbness or tingling
• Muscle weakness
• A feeling of pins-and-needles

If you are experiencing any of the aforementioned symptoms and you have not responded to conservative, nonsurgical treatments, contact Laser Spine Institute to learn about our endoscopic procedures which do not require disc excision or the installation of bone grafts.