Background: Increasing emphasis has been placed on segmental lordosis correction, even in short segment constructs. However, the majority of reports on TLIF indicate that lordosis correction is modest at best. TLIF with bilateral facetecomy has been described with better lordosis correction, but is usually performed with the spine in extension throughout the case. This report presents a new technique for lordosis correction during TLIF with the use of bilateral facetectomy and osteotomy closure using a mechanically hinged operative table.
Methods: A 78-year-old male presented with claudicatory back and leg pain due to foraminal stenosis and spondylolisthesis at L4-5 and L5-S1, and was operated on with bilateral facetectomies and TLIF while positioned on a motorized-hinged table, which started in flexion for the decompression and was brought into extension at the end of the case for osteotomy closure.
Results: Segmental lordosis from L4-S1 increased from 15° pre-operatively to 42° postoperatively.
Conclusions: A comparison of pre- and post-operative lateral radiographs showed 27° segmental lordosis correction, and intra-operative fluoroscopy showed correlation between extension of the table and segmental lordosis correction. Bilateral facetectomy and TLIF allows for segmental lordosis correction. Use of the hinged table allowed for ideal positioning during the decompression and controlled osteotomy closure with close correlation between table position and segmental alignment.Level of Evidence: V.
Keywords: bilateral facetectomy; hinged table; lordosis; osteotomy; smith peterson; tlif; transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion.