Clinical value of one-level oblique lateral interbody fusion in the treatment of degenerative lumbar disc diseases

Objective To evaluate the clinical outcomes of one-level oblique lateral interbody fusion (OLIF) for the treatment of degenerative lumbar diseases. Methods A total of 36 patients, 11 males and 25 females with ages from 32 to 75 (average 55.2 ± 13.6 years), underwent one-level OLIF with or without posterior pedicle screw-rod instrumentations from October 2014 to May 2016. The index diagnosis was discogenic back pain in 15 cases, and spondylolisthesis with or without segmental instability in 21 cases. The distribution of operative level was 30 cases at L4/5 and 6 cases at L3/4. The changes of serum level of creatinine kinase was measured 1 and 3 days post-operatively, and compared to that of the pre-operative one. Clinical outcomes were evaluated using visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry disability questionnaire (ODI) scores. Lumbar X-ray was taken and the clinical outcomes were re-assessed. Results 25 in the 36 patients underwent supplementary posterior pedicle screw-rod instrumentation with OLIF procedures. The operation lasted for 46-175 min, with a mean duration of (112±43) min. Blood loss during the operation was 30-180 ml, with a mean of (63 ± 35) ml. Average length of stay was (4.5±2.1) d, ranging from 3-7 d. Serum level of creatinine kinase was (63.5±16.8) IU/L before operation, (416.8±152.1) IU/L 1 day after operation, (112.4±37.5) IU/L 3 days after operation. The VAS and ODI score decreased from (8.3±2.3) pre-operatively to (1.6±0.4) 6 months post-operatively, and from (69.2±17.5) to (10.7±2.7), respectively. The total incidence of complications was 25%, including 8.3% of intra-operative complications (3 cases of cage subsidence) and 16.7% of post-operative ones. The latter consisted of ipsilateral hip flexor weakness in 1, ipsilateral anterior thigh pain in 1, contralateral pain in flexion of hip in 1, ipsilateral sympathetic chain injury in 1, and pain in area of iliac bone donor site in 2. All symptoms were released or disappeared during follow-up. Conclusion OLIF as a novel technique for spinal surgical management showed excellent short-term outcomes. Clinical results with long-term follow-up are required. Key words: Lumbar vertebrae; Spinal fusion; Clinical protocols