Background:

Single-stage lateral lumbar interbody fusion is a safe and effective procedure that relies on indirect decompression and fusion to treat various lumbar pathologies. This technique, however, has an overall 9% rate of indirect decompression failure, which may require additional surgery to achieve adequate direct decompression. To address this concern, we modified this technique by adding a minimally invasive, direct tubular decompression in lateral position when indicated. No study has described the technical nuances of incorporating a microtubular decompression into the single-stage lateral lumbar interbody fusion workflow (SSLLIF+).

Objective:

To report on the procedural steps and clinical outcomes of the SSLLIF+.

Methods:

In this retrospective case series of prospectively collected data, we present the detailed surgical approach of the SSLLIF+ with a single-center case series over a 5-year period. Surgical and clinical outcomes are presented.

Results:

A total of 7 patients underwent a SSLLIF+ with a total of 18 levels fused and 7 levels decompressed. The SSLLIF+ was successfully performed in all cases without the occurrence of intraoperative complications in this case series. There was 1 revision after 20 months of follow-up because of adjacent segment disease. There was no need for further direct decompression in a delayed fashion.

Conclusion:

SSLLIF with direct microtubular decompression in lateral position is a safe and effective procedure in patients where indirect decompression alone may not achieve the surgical goal. Adherence to minimally invasive spine surgery principles and thoughtful patient selection facilitate the successful management of these patients while demonstrating short hospital stay and low-risk of perioperative complications.