People with serious pain in their lower backs along their lumbar spine often find that fusion surgery may their best option.

BSSNY uses the XLIF (eXtreme Lateral Interbody Fusion) procedure to treat a number of spinal pathologies, including:

• Degenerative Discs, Lumbar Stenosis, and Spondylolisthesis – These conditions may have caused excessive motion between the joints and spinal fusion restores stability.
• Herniated discs – When these are removed, your spine can destabilize. Fusing the vertebrae can provide stabilization.

By definition, the XLIF procedure is a minimally invasive type of spine surgery, which means that there is a smaller incision made. And a smaller incision means:

• Less muscle disruption
• Less blood loss during surgery
• Reduced operation time
• Reduced post-operative pain
• Reduced hospital stay
• Reduced recovery time

The Procedure

During the minimally invasive XLIF procedure, your surgeon will access the disc space using a surgical approach from the side (lateral) through an incision just above the hip bone rather than from the front or back. S/he then places a bone graft spacer or implant between the two vertebrae to restore height and relieve nerve pinching. As your body begins to heal, new bone grows around the graft or implant, fusing the two vertebrae into one solid piece of bone.