XLIF — lateral lumbar interbody fusion

That is why this technique is always performed with neurophysiological monitoring: the response of the nerve roots is watched continuously while the working corridor is opened, which is how they are located and respected. It does not remove the risk, it controls it, and that is part of the conversation beforehand.

By placing an implant that rests on the strongest edges of the vertebra and restores disc height. As height is regained the ligaments are re-tensioned and the canal and foramina widen by themselves: this is what is called indirect decompression.

That is precisely the profile in which I lean on this route: in older patients with degenerative scoliosis it allows powerful corrections with little aggression, and it can be spread over several operations when doing everything at once would be too much. Whether it is possible depends on your general condition and on the pre-operative study, not only on the X-ray.

It is the high-correction variant of this technique: it can give lordosis back to spines that have flattened, working from the front on the disc itself instead of removing wedges of bone from behind. It is reserved for cases in which loss of curve is the main problem.