What is a ALIF procedure?
Anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) is a spine surgery that involves approaching the spine from the front of the body to remove disc or bone material from in between two adjacent lumbar vertebrae. The procedure may be performed either as an open surgery or using minimally invasive techniques.
How long is the hospital stay for Alif surgery?
You will be given instructions about when to stop eating and drinking before your admission. You will be in hospital for between 2 and 4 days after your surgery.
What is the success rate of Alif surgery?
In general terms ALIFs (anterior lumbar interbody fusion) and PLIFs (posterior lumbar interbody fusion) have a success rate of about 70%. Success itself is not easy to define, but I suggest to my patients that they have a good chance of a significant reduction of pain.
What is an interbody spinal fusion device?
Anterior interbody cages are titanium cylinders that are placed in the disc space. The cages are porous and allow the bone graft to grow from the vertebral body through the cage and into the next vertebral body.
Which is better Alif or Tlif?
Blood loss and operative time in ALIF was greater than in TLIF. The restoration of disc height, segmental lordosis, and whole lumbar lordosis in ALIF was superior to TLIF. However, clinical outcomes in ALIF were similar with TLIF, and there was no significant difference in nonfusion rate between the two techniques.
Is Alif minimally invasive?
The mini ALIF is a minimally invasive spinal fusion procedure. A vascular surgeon and a spine surgeon perform this surgery together. They use small incisions. You enjoy a shorter hospital stay and a faster recovery.
How do you sleep after Alif surgery?
SLEEPING AFTER SURGERY The best sleeping position to reduce your pain after surgery is either on your back with your knees bent and a pillow under your knees or on your side with your knees bent and a pillow between your legs.
How do I prepare for Alif surgery?
Preparing Your Home
- Place the telephone in a convenient area, such as near the bed or chair.
- Prepare food or purchase easy-to-prepare foods before coming to the hospital.
- Move food, pots, pans and other cooking utensils to high shelves or other counter tops so you can avoid bending.
Did Tiger Woods have an Alif?
Tiger Woods underwent spinal fusion surgery using a Centinel Spine product in April 2017 to alleviate ongoing debilitating pain in his back and legs. The operation was an Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (ALIF) procedure at the L5/S1 lumbar vertebrae level using Centinel Spine’s STALIF M-Ti™ fusion implant.
Can Alif surgery cause ED?
Sexual dysfunction after anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) related to damage to the hypogastric nervous plexus has mainly focused on the male biological function, which has been reported as retrograde ejaculation, resulting in infertility. The reported frequency of retrograde ejaculation varies largely.
What must be removed in order for an interbody fusion to take place?
An interbody fusion is a type of spinal fusion that involves removing the intervertebral disk. This type of fusion can be performed using different approaches. For example, the surgeon can access the spine through incisions in the lower back or through incisions in the side.
How long does pain last after Alif surgery?
You will feel the initial post- operative soreness for at least a few weeks after surgery and that is generally how long it can take to return to desk/office type work. More physical work may require up to 6 weeks recovery to feel up to that level of activity.
How does an anterior lumbar interbody fusion ( Alif ) work?
In an interbody spinal fusion, the damaged intervertebral disk is removed and replaced with bone graft material. In an anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF), the surgeon accesses the spine through an incision in the front, rather than the back. Spinal Fusion: Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion – OrthoInfo – AAOS
What does Alif stand for in medical terms?
An anterior lumbar interbody fusion, called a ALIF, is designed to stop the motion at the symptomatic segment of the spine. An ALIF is done in the lumbar, or lower, spine.
What do you need to know about Alif surgery?
Anterior approaches, such as in ALIF, allow access to the discs at the front of the spine and do not require muscle stripping as in posterior approaches. ALIF provides the surgeon with a clear approach to the lumbar spine. Learn more about what you can expect before, during, and after an ALIF surgery by downloading the patient education brochure.
Can a posterior approach be combined with an alif?
While the ALIF is still a widely available spine fusion technique, this type of procedure is often combined with a posterior approach (anterior/posterior fusions) because of the need to provide more rigid fixation than an anterior approach alone provides. In cases where there is not a lot of instability, an ALIF alone can be sufficient.