Wooridul Spine Hospital developed a new medical technique that dramatically reduced the incision range of anterior lumbar interbody fusion and published the successful results in the world-famous SCIE-level international academic journal, Neurospine.
Anterior lumbar interbody fusion is one of the most advanced fusion techniques, and it is a surgical method that is receiving international attention due to its excellent clinical results. Unlike posterior fusion, which requires a back approach to cut the vertebrae, anterior fusion does not damage bones or nerves, so there is less bleeding during surgery and a low risk of complications and side effects. In addition, because of the anatomical structure, artificial bones that cannot be inserted from the back can be inserted from the front, so the spine can be fused and reconstructed stably, and the speed of nerve sensory recovery is also fast.
Wooridul Spine Surgery Team and President Junseok Bae succeeded in developing an innovative method that does not leave scars while retaining the advantages of the anterior fusion by making a minimal incision of about 2 cm in the navel area, where the skin is folded inward.
According to the paper, as a result of follow-up of 154 patients with degenerative spondylolisthesis for an average of 21 months who underwent 'belly approach spinal fusion', both pain and dysfunction were successfully improved. It was found to be the same as the existing anterior lumbar interbody fusion. Patient satisfaction was very high that there was no scar left after surgery. In particular, as a result of transumbilical lumbar fusion to a patient (61, male) with spondylolisthesis and spinal stenosis, who suffered from walking problems due to back pain and leg paraesthesia for 5 years, the neurological symptoms improved without any side effects and there were almost no scars. A patient (72, female), who suffered from back pain, radiating pain and numbness in the legs, and ankle paralysis for 3 years, successfully improved both pain and dysfunction after transumbilical lumbar fusion, and the wound almost disappeared 6 months after the operation.
https://www.mk.co.kr/news/it/view/2021/11/1076100/
