Am I a Good Candidate for Minimally Invasive TLIF?

For millions of Americans, the fear of developing a “bad back” is valid, and for good reason. Most Americans will deal with back pain during their lifetime. Each year, millions of Americans of all ages have back pain, which results in a whopping 83 million lost workdays.

Back pain costs can’t be calculated in dollars and cents. For many chronic back pain sufferers, the primary toll is the impact on their quality of life. In this blog, Neil Bhamb, MD, highlights minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion, or TLIF, and who may want to consider this advanced surgical approach.

What is transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion?
Let’s begin this topic by first explaining TLIF. TLIF is a type of spinal fusion surgery where the surgeon fuses or connects two or more vertebrae in the treatment area. The goal of the procedure is to prevent nerve compression nearby, relieving pain in the fused part of the spine.

Spine surgeons may recommend transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion for patients suffering from chronic back pain from spondylolisthesis, degenerative disc disease, or bulged or herniated discs.

Minimally invasive spine TLIF vs. traditional surgery
Ideal candidates for minimally invasive spine TLIF are those who suffer with chronic back pain and have tried many nonsurgical treatment options without getting relief and are in good overall health.

While the surgical procedure prevents movement in the treatment area, Dr. Bhamb specializes in minimally invasive TLIF, which has many benefits in recovery and overall outcomes for patients suffering from chronic back pain, including a greater chance of preserving more range of motion. 

Minimally invasive spine TLIF plays out after your provider administers a general anesthetic; Dr. Bhamb makes a small incision to stage access to the treatment area. Specifically, he passes a small tubular retractor through the incision to create a pathway to the surgical site. This technique gently pushes muscles away from the spine instead of traditional open surgeries that use large incisions and cut into muscle to gain access.

Dr. Bhamb performs minimally invasive spine TLIF using small, compact, specialized tools, which he passes through the retractor. He also uses additional aids like fluoroscopic images using X-ray technology and a microscope to inform further and guide the surgery. If needed, Dr. Bhamb uses laser energy to remove tissue.

Minimally invasive TLIF surgery generally takes up to two hours to fuse two vertebrae. The patient can expect to be in the operating room for about three hours instead of the traditional transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion procedure, which can take several hours to complete.

Why your choice in spine surgery options matters
The differences between traditional open transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion surgery and minimally invasive TLIF translate into dramatically significant benefits for patients. Reducing the incision length and how the surgeon accesses the treatment site and performs the procedure using microtubes and microscopes may enable patients to go home on the same day.

Similarly, since minimally invasive surgical techniques result in less trauma to muscles and tissue, this scenario aligns with many associated benefits, including:

• Less pain after surgery. The amount of trauma caused during surgery has a direct effect on post-operative pain, triggering additional benefits such as more comfort and less reliance on pain medication after surgery as you heal.
• Reduced risk of surgical complications. The combination of a smaller incision and reduced trauma to muscles and tissue also means less blood loss, and the incision and treatment areas are less vulnerable to exposure to germs, which translates into a reduced risk of developing infections and surgical complications.
• Quicker recovery times. Minimally invasive spine surgery can dramatically expedite a patient’s recovery time to a few months instead of up to a year. After experiencing months or years of chronic back pain, kicking your back pain to the curb and getting back to living a productive life can change your life.

If you suffer from chronic back pain and want to learn if minimally invasive TLIF is right for you, contact our Century City or Marina Del Rey office. Book your appointment online or call us today. 

Dr. Bhamb is a fellowship-trained minimally invasive spine surgeon and is a leading expert on endoscopic and minimally invasive spine surgeries, microdiscectomy, and disc replacement. Make your appointment today to begin your journey to living your best life again.