What is a Lateral Fusion or XLIF?


What is Lateral Fusion or XLIF?

Why is Lateral Fusion or XLIF Needed?
Procedures
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.