Updates on Lumbar Spine Surgery for Degenerative Diseases

A special issue of Journal of Clinical Medicine (ISSN 2077-0383). This special issue belongs to the section "Orthopedics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 August 2025 | Viewed by 892

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
Interests: spine tumor; spine deformity; degenerative disease; lumbar spine surgery

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the context of an aging society, a significant number of patients suffer from degenerative lumbar disorders, which comprise the largest category of spinal diseases. Over the years, lumbar spine surgery has evolved considerably, predominantly classified into decompressive and fusion surgeries. Decompressive surgery encompasses traditional techniques such as microscopic laminectomy, laminotomy, and discectomy. However, endoscopic surgery has recently gained increasing popularity among surgeons due to its minimally invasive nature, and its indications have expanded from disc herniation to stenosis. Similarly, fusion surgery has experienced significant advancements. Minimally invasive techniques, including TLIF, OLIF, and MI-ALIF, have been introduced, and developments in fusion biology have substantially impacted surgical outcomes. Additionally, the importance of sagittal alignment in lumbar spine surgery has been increasingly recognized, not only in long-segment fusion surgeries but also in short-segment fusion procedures. Achieving proper sagittal alignment is essential for optimizing surgical results. We invite submissions on a wide range of topics within lumbar spine surgery, from endoscopic procedures to deformity correction.

Dr. Se-Jun Park
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • degenerative disease
  • lumbar spine surgery
  • fusion
  • decompressive surgery
  • sagittal alignment
  • complications
  • outcomes

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

10 pages, 572 KiB  
Article
Radiological Outcomes and Approach-Related Complications in Oblique Lateral Interbody Fusion at the Upper Lumbar Level
by Hee-Woong Chung, Han-Dong Lee, Myungsub Lee and Nam-Su Chung
J. Clin. Med. 2025, 14(10), 3333; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14103333 (registering DOI) - 10 May 2025
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Abstract
Background/Objectives: Despite recent advances in minimally invasive extrapleural lateral approaches, oblique lateral interbody fusion (OLIF) at the upper lumbar level is often difficult and limited to optimal reconstruction. We aimed to compare the radiological outcomes and approach-related complications of OLIF between the upper [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Despite recent advances in minimally invasive extrapleural lateral approaches, oblique lateral interbody fusion (OLIF) at the upper lumbar level is often difficult and limited to optimal reconstruction. We aimed to compare the radiological outcomes and approach-related complications of OLIF between the upper (L1–2 or L2–3) and lower (L3–4 or L4–5) levels. Methods: This study is a retrospective review of OLIF in the upper (n = 63) and lower (n = 60) lumbar level groups. Radiological parameters included the anterior/posterior disc height, coronal/sagittal disc angle, cage position, cage subsidence, and fusion rate at a postoperative 1-year follow-up. Approach-related complications including pleural/peritoneal lacerations, neurovascular injury, and other organ injuries were examined. Results: The baseline radiological parameters were similar between the two groups (all p > 0.05). At 1-year postoperatively, the anterior disc height (ADH) was significantly greater in the lower-level group (p = 0.031), while no significant differences were observed in the posterior disc height, coronal/sagittal disc angle, cage anterior position, or cage subsidence rate (all p > 0.05). The fusion rates were 97.9% and 95.0% at the upper and lower lumbar levels, respectively (p = 0.146). During OLIF at the upper lumbar level, chest tube insertion due to pleural laceration was observed in 11 (17.5%) cases. One case (1.2%) of segmental artery injury and two cases (3.2%) of pseudo-hernia were attributed to iliohypogastric nerve injury. Conclusions: Although the extrapleural approach in OLIF at the upper lumbar level is often limited, the radiological outcomes were comparable to those of OLIF at the lower lumbar level. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Updates on Lumbar Spine Surgery for Degenerative Diseases)
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13 pages, 6591 KiB  
Article
Anterior Versus Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion at L5-S1 in Hybrid Surgery for Adult Spinal Deformity: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis of Radiographic Results, Mechanical Complications, and Clinical Outcomes
by Se-Jun Park, Dong-Ho Kang, Jin-Sung Park, Minwook Kang, Chong-Suh Lee and Kyunghun Jung
J. Clin. Med. 2025, 14(5), 1431; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14051431 - 20 Feb 2025
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Abstract
Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the radiographic results, mechanical complications, and clinical outcomes between anterior and posterior lumbar interbody fusion at L5–S1 (ALIF51 and PLIF51 groups, respectively) using a matched cohort of patients undergoing long fusion for adult [...] Read more.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the radiographic results, mechanical complications, and clinical outcomes between anterior and posterior lumbar interbody fusion at L5–S1 (ALIF51 and PLIF51 groups, respectively) using a matched cohort of patients undergoing long fusion for adult spinal deformity (ASD). Methods: Patients who underwent hybrid surgery of ≥5-level fusion to the pelvis with a minimum follow-up duration of 2 years were included. The baseline characteristics of the groups were controlled using a propensity score matching analysis. The radiographic results, mechanical complications such as proximal junctional kyphosis/failure and metal failure, and clinical outcomes were compared between the groups. Results: In total, 79 patients were assigned to each group with comparable baseline data, except for a higher frequency of anterior column realignment procedures in the PLIF51 group than in the ALIF51 group (49.4% vs. 31.6%). At the last follow-up, L5–S1 segmental lordosis (SL) was significantly greater in the ALIF51 group than in the PLIF51 group (12.1° vs. 7.3°, p < 0.001). The final C7–sagittal vertical axis (SVA) was significantly smaller in the ALIF51 group than in the PLIF51 group (25.4 mm vs. 35.5 mm, p = 0.032). However, other global sagittal parameters were comparable between the groups. The mechanical complication rates, including metal failure at L5–S1, and the final clinical outcomes were comparable between the groups. Conclusions: ALIF51 has modest advantages over PLIF51 in terms of better restoring L5–S1 SL and C7–SVA with avoiding more invasive procedures above the L5–S1 levels. Other sagittal parameters, mechanical complication rates, and clinical outcomes did not differ between the groups. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Updates on Lumbar Spine Surgery for Degenerative Diseases)
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