Treatment of Degenerative Disc Disease and Degenerative Spondylolisthesis of the Lumbar Spine - Techniques

Posterior Lumbar Internode Fusion (PLIF, TLIF):

This technique is more technically demanding but is useful in patients with discogenic back pain with internal disc derangement, in patients with degenerative spondylolisthesis when partial reduction is indicated, and in patients at increased risk for pseudoarthrosis 21. It avoids the need for a combined anterior/posterior approach and accomplishes a 3600 fusion. This procedure usually includes vehicular instrumentation and posterolateral fusion as well it can be performed through either unilateral approach (TLIF) or a bilateral posterior approach (PLIF).

Figure 3 (A – F) represents radiographs of a patient with degenerative spondylolisthesis who underwent a posterior unilateral transformational internode fusion.

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