Less invasive mini-open adult spinal deformity surgery.

Abstract

Adult spinal deformities (ASD) pose a challenge for the spinal surgeon. Because the spine is often rigid, mobilization of the segments is critical for effective correction, particularly in the sagittal plane. While minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has many favorable attributes that would be of great benefit for the ASD population, improvements in lordosis and sagittal balance have remained problematic using MIS approaches, including MIS lateral methods. This video illustrates one method for achieving improvement of coronal and sagittal correction without the extensive exposure and soft tissue envelope disruption needed in open surgery, particularly for less severe deformities. By using multi-level TLIFs through a mini-open surgery, curves of less than 60° can be managed with minimal blood loss and within a reasonable surgical timeframe. While feasibility will have to be proven with larger series and improved surgical methods, this technique holds promise as a means of reducing the significant morbidity associated with surgery in the ASD population. The video can be found here: http://youtu.be/I0rkDSAVas0.