Step 1: Anesthesia
The doctor will administer general anesthesia to ensure comfort.

Step 2: Incisions
During the procedure, the surgeon will place you on your side and make an incision. The surgeon gently makes a path between the abdominal and back muscles to gain access to the retroperitoneal space. Using a monitoring probe, they will identify the position of nerves alongside the spine. It also helps create a path through the psoas muscle to the damaged disc.

Step 3: Disc Removal
After that, a series of small dilators are used to separate the muscles and create a tunnel to the spine. The surgeon then removes the damaged disc through the tube retractor.

Step 4: Insert Bone Graft/Fusion Device
Once the disc is removed, they’ll place a bone graft or a fusion device into the empty disc space.

Step 5: Close the Incision
The surgeon removes the tubes and instruments. Once it’s done, they’ll close the incisions.

The recovery from an XLIF procedure varies from patient to patient. But most patients can go back home within 24 hours after surgery. You may experience pain and tingling at the incision sites. Follow the surgeon’s aftercare instructions until your follow-up appointment. Generally, you can get back to daily activities after 6 to 12 weeks.