About eXtreme Lateral Interbody Fusion (XLIF)
XLIF is a fairly new minimally invasive spinal fusion procedure. Instead of an incision that cuts the abdomen and back muscles, XLIF involves a small incision on the patient's side. Special equipment is used to monitor how close the surgeon's tools are to the spinal nerves.
XLIF can offer patients:
- Less pain
- Shorter hospital stay
- Quicker recovery period
To be eligible for XLIF, patients' vertebra in the spine must be easily reached from the side of the body.