Midline Rectus Approach to Disc Replacement: Evidence for Benefits?

Question:

Is there any evidence of a benefit associated with the midline rectus (MR) over the paramedian lateral rectus (PLR) approach to disc replacement?

Answer:

A recent article in the journal Spine retrospectively analyzed patient outcomes with the midline rectus (MR) and PLR approaches. Radiographically, the PLR approach showed a significantly higher rate of postoperative malalignment in the sagittal plan. Despite this, there was no significant difference in clinical outcomes between the two groups.

What was found to affect patient outcome was the degree of prosthetic displacement. Patients with displacement of at least 5 mm were significantly more likely to have postoperative disability, regardless of the surgical approach, than patients with malalignment of less than 3mm.

The authors suggest that the finding of increased disability with more severe malaligment may warrant use of the MR approach over the PLR approach.

Source:
Spine. 2008 Jan 15;33(2):205-9.Click here to read Links
A comparison of two retroperitoneal surgical approaches for total disc arthroplasty of the lumbar spine.

Filed Under Total Disc Arthroplasty, Degenerative Disc Disease, What's New 

Comments

Got something to say?