Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (PLIF)
What is it?
Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (PLIF) is a specific type of spinal fusion surgery focused on the lumbar (lower back) region of the spine. It is primarily employed to treat conditions that cause instability or significant pain in the lumbar spine, such as degenerative disc disease, spondylolisthesis (a condition where one vertebra slips over the adjacent one), spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal), or herniated discs.
Patients who are candidates for PLIF often have chronic back pain due to lumbar spine instability or degeneration and have not responded adequately to conservative treatments like physical therapy, pain medication, or injections.
Recovery from PLIF involves a hospital stay and a rehabilitation period, which includes physical therapy to strengthen the spine and improve mobility.
The fusion of the spine is a gradual process that can take several months to complete. During this period, patients may need to avoid certain strenuous activities to ensure successful healing.
Procedure
In PLIF, the surgeon accesses the spine from the back (posterior). This approach involves the removal of the degenerated discs that are causing pain and replacing them with a bone graft or a synthetic cage. This implant, placed in the space where the disc used to be, encourages bone growth between the adjacent vertebrae, eventually leading to their fusion into a single, solid unit. The fusion process is typically supported by the insertion of rods and screws into the vertebrae, which helps to stabilize the spine immediately post-surgery and ensures proper alignment while bone fusion occurs.
By stabilizing the spine and eliminating the movement of damaged vertebral segments, PLIF can significantly reduce back pain. The procedure can also correct or prevent further progression of spinal deformities, improving the patient’s posture and quality of life.