Sunny Kim, MD, a spine surgeon at Central Minnesota Spine Center in Alexandria, Minn., has incorporated Extreme Lateral Interbody Fusion into his practice, according to an Echo Press news report.
Dr. Kim recently performed XLIF for a patient who was undergoing his fourth spine surgery. The less invasive procedure is a fusion in the lumbar and thoracic vertebrae. The surgeon enters the body from the side and creates two incisions for the procedure. A probe is used to guide the surgical instruments and detect nerves along the spine to avoid unnecessary damage during the procedure.
Dr. Kim has performed 110 XLIF procedures in the past three years. The procedure takes an hour to perform and many patients experience a faster initial recovery time than they would after an open spine procedure.
Read the Echo Press report on XLIF.
Read other coverage on spine surgery:
- Spine Surgery in 2011 and Beyond: 7 Points About the Future of Spine Surgery
- Improving Patient Satisfaction: Endoscopic Spine Surgery
- Improving Scoliosis Treatment: Q&A With Vincent Arlet, Developer of Scolisoft Scoliosis Database
Dr. Kim recently performed XLIF for a patient who was undergoing his fourth spine surgery. The less invasive procedure is a fusion in the lumbar and thoracic vertebrae. The surgeon enters the body from the side and creates two incisions for the procedure. A probe is used to guide the surgical instruments and detect nerves along the spine to avoid unnecessary damage during the procedure.
Dr. Kim has performed 110 XLIF procedures in the past three years. The procedure takes an hour to perform and many patients experience a faster initial recovery time than they would after an open spine procedure.
Read the Echo Press report on XLIF.
Read other coverage on spine surgery:
- Spine Surgery in 2011 and Beyond: 7 Points About the Future of Spine Surgery
- Improving Patient Satisfaction: Endoscopic Spine Surgery
- Improving Scoliosis Treatment: Q&A With Vincent Arlet, Developer of Scolisoft Scoliosis Database