Comparing stand-alone oblique lumbar interbody fusion with posterior lumbar interbody fusion for revision of rostral adjacent segment disease: A STROBE-compliant study

Spinal fusion has become a standard treatment for symptomatic intervertebral degenerative disc disease. The present study aimed to compare perioperative parameters, clinical outcomes, and radiographic results of stand-alone oblique lumbar interbody fusion (OLIF) with posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) for the revision of rostral adjacent segment disease (ASD) following prior posterior lumbar fusion. Thirty-six patients who underwent revision surgeries for rostral ASD were retrospectively reviewed. Among them, 17 patients underwent stand-alone OLIF (OLIF group) and 19 patients underwent PLIF (PLIF group). The length of operation, intraoperative hemorrhage, bed rest duration, and length of hospital stay were compared between the 2 groups. Clinical results were evaluated with the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and visual analog scale (VAS). Radiological results were evaluated with disc height (DH), foraminal height (FH), retrolisthesis index (RI), and lumbar lordosis (LL), as well as the fusion rate and cage subsidence. Follow-up results at 1 week, 3 months, and 12 months postoperatively were compared between the 2 groups. The OLIF group had less intraoperative blood loss, shorter operative time, bed rest time, and hospital stay than did the PLIF group (P < .05). The OLIF group had lower VAS scores for back pain than the PLIF group at 1 week and 3 months postoperatively (P < .05), and lower VAS scores for leg pain than the PLIF group at 1 week postoperatively (P < .05). The OLIF group had lower ODI than the PLIF group at 1 week and 3 months postoperatively (P < .05). No significant differences were found in DH and FH between the 2 groups preoperatively (P > .05); the OLIF group showed higher DH and FH than the PLIF group at all time points (P < .05). No significant differences were found in RI and LL between the 2 groups at any time point. All patients achieved fusion at 12 months postoperatively, and cage subsidence was not observed in either group. OLIF is effective and safe for the treatment of rostral ASD following prior posterior lumbar fusion, and is superior to PLIF in terms of perioperative parameters, short-term clinical outcomes, and DH restoration, with similar fusion and reduction rates.