Mini-open TLIF: fusing the lower spine through a smaller opening
Mini-open transforaminal interbody fusion for lumbar degenerative disease
In simple words
TLIF fuses two vertebrae and places a spacer in the disc space between them. The mini-open version works through small incisions and an expandable tube, with screws placed under direct view, which reduces reliance on continuous X-ray guidance.
What the study looked at
57 patients (average age 51) who had single-level mini-open TLIF for degenerative disc disease between March 2022 and February 2024, followed for one year.
What it found
Disability scores (ODI) fell from about 78 before surgery to about 13 at one year, and pain scores from about 8 to 1 out of 10. Surgery took about 80 minutes, blood loss was about 88 mL and the average hospital stay was about 3 days. No screw had to be repositioned; one patient needed a second operation for remaining nerve narrowing.
Why it matters for patients
Mini-open TLIF was safe and effective for single-level lumbar degeneration and stenosis that needed fusion.
Authors: Sharma A, Savankar V, Vatkar A, Chaudhary K · Indian Spine Journal 2026 Sep;9(3):317–323