# Clinical efficacy and imaging analysis of oblique lateral lumbar interbody fusion in the treatment of different types of lumbar intervertebral foramen stenosis

## TL;DR

This study shows that oblique lateral lumbar interbody fusion improves symptoms and imaging markers in patients with lumbar foramen stenosis.

## Contribution

The paper evaluates OLIF's effectiveness for various causes of lumbar foramen stenosis using clinical and imaging data.

## Key findings

- OLIF significantly improved pain and disability scores in patients with lumbar foramen stenosis.
- Postoperative imaging showed significant increases in disc height, foraminal height, and cross-sectional area.
- Surgical correction of spinal angles was also notable, suggesting OLIF's effectiveness for multiple stenosis types.

## Abstract

To analyze and study the clinical efficacy and imaging indexes of oblique lateral lumbar interbody fusion (OLIF) in the treatment of lumbar intervertebral foramen stenosis(LFS) caused by different causes.

33 patients with LFS treated with OLIF from January 2018 to May 2022 were reviewed. Oswestry Dysfunction Index (ODI) and visual analogue scale (VAS) were calculated before and after operation. Segmental lordotic angle (SLA), lumbar lordotic angle (LLA) and segmental scoliosis angle (SSA), disc height (DH), posterior disc height (PDH), lateral disc height (LDH), foraminal height (FH), foramen width (FW) and foraminal cross-sectional area (FSCA) were measured before and after operation.

The VAS and ODI after operation were significantly improved as compared with those before operation. Compared with pre-operation, the DH, PHD increased by 67.6%, 94.6%, LDH increased by 107.4% (left), 101.7% (right), and FH increased by 30.2% (left), 34.5% (right). The FSCA increased by 93.1% (left), 89.0% (right), and the FW increased by 137.0% (left), 149.6% (right). The postoperative SSA was corrected by 74.5%, the postoperative SLA, LLA were corrected by 70.2%, 38.1%, respectively. All the imaging indexes were significantly improved (p < 0.01).

The clinical efficacy and imaging data of OLIF in the treatment of LFS caused by low and moderate lumbar spondylolisthesis, intervertebral disc bulge and reduced intervertebral space height, degenerative lumbar scoliosis, articular process hyperplasia or dislocation have been well improved. OLIF may be one of the better surgical treatments for LFS caused by the above conditions.