Postoperative Complications After Anterior Lumbar Interspinous Fusion in Patients with History of Prior Abdominal Surgery

Abstract

Anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) is gaining popularity within the spine surgery community. Subsequently, the anterior retroperitoneal approach is becoming increasingly more utilized. At the same time, the significance of postoperative complications related to this approach is also growing. To investigate whether history of prior abdominal surgery increases the rate of postoperative complications, we conducted a retrospective study of 194 patients who underwent an ALIF with or without a concurrent posterior fusion at the Massachusetts General Hospital between 2007 and 2011.