Transforaminal Endoscopic Solutions for Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion Complications

Abstract

Anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) is a widely performed lumbar fusion procedure especially suited for treating lower lumbar degenerative disk disease, discogenic disease, and revision of failed posterior fusion. Advantages of the technique include maximizing implant size and correction of lordosis, and disadvantages include approach-related complications such as retrograde ejaculation, visceral injury, and vascular injury. Transforaminal endoscopic spine surgery is an effective minimally invasive surgical approach that can be utilized to treat many complications of complex spine procedures. Reported here are 2 cases illustrating the success of treating recurrent lumbar radiculopathy with transforaminal endoscopic spine surgery as a minimally invasive solution to an ALIF complication. Transforaminal endoscopic spine surgery is suggested here as a possible treatment approach for lumbar radiculopathy after ALIF.