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Minimally Invasive Surgery

Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion

Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (ALIF) is an operation that involves approaching the spine through an incision in the abdomen. A portion of the affected disc space is removed from the spine and replaced with an implant and bone graft. In some patients, new technology allows surgeons to use Bone Morphogenetic Proteins as bone graft material instead of harvesting bone from the patient. This shortens operative time and eliminates pain from the bone graft site. Titanium or stainless steel screws and rods may be inserted into the back of the spine to supplement the stability of the entire construct. Some physicians are using anteriorly placed titanium plates to support the construct. The video demonstrates placement of Bone Morphogenetic Protein (Infuse(tm)) into two LT Cages and insertion into a patient with degenerative disc disease. This particular patient required a vertical incision in order to treat two degenerative levels. A smaller bikini type incision is used to treat the lower disks when appropriate.