XLIF surgery

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XLIF is a type of spinal fusion. The surgery is done by going through the side of the body.

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Orthopedics | About spine surgery | Diagnosis | Treatment | Recovery and rehabilitation

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The name XLIF comes from extreme lateral interbody fusion. During XLIF surgery, your doctor will get to your spine from the side of your body. This type of surgery is usually done for back problems, such as:

Disc degeneration (wear and changes that happen in the back as we age)
Spondylolisthesis (when vertebrae or bones in the back move out of place)
Degenerative scoliosis (when the spine curves in an abnormal way because of disc degeneration)

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FAQ

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During XLIF surgery, you will lie on your side and two small incisions will be made. The surgeon will remove the damaged disc and put an implant in its place. X-rays are taken to make sure the implant is the right height and in the proper position.

XLIF is a minimally invasive surgery that uses special equipment, including tiny cameras and surgical instruments. These allow the surgeon to see inside the body and do surgery through tiny incisions instead of larger cuts. This causes less damage to the tissue.

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XLIF may work for you if you need surgery above the L5 vertebra in the lower part of your spine. XLIF surgery may be helpful if you're having:
- Instability because of degenerative disc disease
- Disc herniation, which is when discs in the back slip out of place
- Problems after a previous surgery
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XLIF surgery may not work well for you if you have:
- Symptoms in the L5 to S1 level of the spine from the lower back to the pelvic area
- Certain lumbar or lower back deformities (not a normal shape)
- Serious degenerative spondylolisthesis
- Internal scars on both your left and right sides due to an abscess or a surgery you’ve had before
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XLIF surgery doesn't require entry through sensitive back muscles, bones or ligaments. This means there is less pain after surgery. It also makes complete disc removal and putting in implants or supports possible.

XLIF takes less time than other types of spine surgery and people heal faster afterwards. There's also less chance of the heart being injured compared to other kinds of surgery.

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- Anterior (front) lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF): The doctor gets to the spine from the front of the body which means some major blood vessels must be moved during surgery
- Posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF): The doctor gets to the spine from the middle back which disturbs the muscles, bones and ligaments of the back, leading to pain and possibly losing feeling in some areas
- Transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF): Similar to PLIF, but only going through one side of the back
- Thoracotomy: The doctor gets to the thoracic spine (bottom of the neck to the abdomen or middle of the body) from the side of the rib cage, requiring a large cut and deflation of the lung (breathing organ)
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