Neurosurgeon Neuroscience and Spine Associates Naples, FL, US
Disclosure(s):
Mark Frenkel, MD, MA, FAANS, FCNS: No relevant disclosure to display
Introduction: Anterior and lateral lumbar interbody fusion techniques have many benefits, but they are unable to provide the same biomechanical stability as posterior techniques. This frequently necessitates combining these approaches with a posterior approach, which negates some of the benefits of these procedures. In this abstract we describe a novel technique for cement augmenting a standalone lateral fusion in order to provide additional stabilization and we present three example cases with six-month followup.
Methods: A retrospective review was performed for patients that underwent a lateral interbody fusion with cement augmentation in the author’s practice (MF).
Results: Among the three patients who underwent cement-augmented LLIF, there were no operative complications. Additionally, no complications occurred in the immediate postoperative period or during follow-up, including infection or neurologic issues (such as groin pain, paresthesia, or quadriceps palsy). All patients reported significant postoperative pain relief, which had not returned by their last follow-up, as measured by the Visual Analogue Scale. Postoperative imaging showed a stable construct with no signs of hardware failure or interbody cage subsidence.
Conclusion : This preliminary report from a small series suggests that cement-augmented fusion may be a safe and effective stand-alone method for lateral and anterior lumbar interbody fusion. However, the small sample size and limited follow-up period prevent a comprehensive assessment of its efficacy and safety. Further research is needed to clarify these aspects and to determine which patient populations would benefit most from this technique.