Single-level lumbar spinal fusions had similar reoperation rates between anterolateral and posterior surgical techniques, according to a study in the September 1 issue of Spine.
Researchers looked at data for patients who had single-level anterior lumbar interbody fusion/lateral lumbar interbody fusion or transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion/posterior lumbar interbody fusion with same-day, single-level posterior instrumentation. Patients were followed for at least two years, and the ALIF/TLIF and TLIF/PLIF cohorts were matched 1:1 by factors age, sex, smoking status, Elixhauser-comorbidity index and diabetes.
Each cohort had 14,070 patients after matching, and all-cause subsequent lumbar operations were nearly identical at the five-year follow-up (9.4% for ALIF/LLIF and 9.5% for TLIF/PLIF). But within 90 days of surgery, the TLFI/PLIF cohort had more infections and dural injuries.
The study concluded, "As utilized in real-world clinical practice, single-level anterolateral versus posterior approaches for interbody fusion have no effect on long-term reoperation rates."