What is minimally invasive spinal fusion?

Spinal fusion, as the name suggests, means to permanently join two or more spinal bones. Minimal invasion means using a small cut for the surgical procedure; thus, minimally invasive spinal fusion is a surgery of the spine that involves a minute incision.

Our spinal column is made of smaller bones known as vertebrae, which are placed in top-to-bottom positions and are separated by discs. These bones provide essential support to the spinal cord, which is a medium to send signals to the brain from the body and vice versa.

Dr. Basil is a trained medical surgeon in Miami who has a rich experience in performing minimally invasive spine surgery. His expertise in this surgery has made him the first choice for patients suffering from back and spine issues.

What is lateral spine fusion?

A lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF) is recommended for leg or back pain caused by injury or degenerative changes in the spine. This surgery leads to the stabilization of the spine and the prevention of painful movement. It is also called DLIF, which means direct lateral interbody fusion, or XLIF, i.e., extreme lateral interbody fusion. Both XLIF and DLIF mean the same thing.

An incision is made from the side instead of the back or front during lateral fusion. After a successful incision, the damaged disc that is causing pain is removed, and the gap created by the removal is filled by placing a spacer bone graft, which ensures restoration of the height of the bones. Thus, this graft acts as a bridge between these two bones and promotes fusion. Moreover, the graft is strengthened with screws as well as a plate from the side.

During the healing process, bone cells start growing around the planted graft. Within a couple of months, the bone graft gets fused, and a solid bone forms in the space. It is just like reinforced concrete.