Minimally Invasive Lumbar Spinal Fusion

A percutaneous access and fusion system enables lumbar fusion to be performed with complete preservation of the annulus and all paraspinal soft tissue structures.

The AxiaLIF (axial lumbar interbody fusion) system includes surgical instruments for creating a safe and reproducible pre-sacral access route to the L5-S1 vertebral bodies through a percutaneous opening adjacent to the sacral bone. The minimally invasive approach expands the use of visualization and fluoroscopy, offering consistent and reproducible results. The surgical technique features instrumentation for the distraction and stabilization of the anterior lumbar column while mitigating the soft tissue trauma associated with traditional lumbar fusion through open surgical incisions. This approach alleviates the need for the surgeon to cut through soft tissues like muscles and ligaments, thus lessening patient pain and the likelihood of complications.

When combined with pedicle screws or facet screws, the system provides a completely percutaneous 360° fusion at L5-S1, performed within 90 minutes. The minimally invasive approach allows patients to be discharged from the hospital the day after surgery, and on average return to work in 15 days. This is a dramatic reduction in hospital lengths of stay, which can otherwise run three to four nights, followed by a one- to two-month recovery period before returning to work. The AxiaLIF is a product of TranS1 (Wilmington, NC, USA). The company has recently announced a major clinical milestone, with 1,000 patients having undergone the procedure.

"Early hospital release and a more rapid return to normal activities are the clinical deliverables we bring to our patients. In fact, surgeons are reporting that a small, and growing number of their AxiaLIF procedures are being conducted as out-patient surgery, with patients going home the same day as their spine fusion surgery,” said Rick Randall, president and CEO of TranS1. "Today, spine surgeons from 37 states and seven countries are utilizing our novel approach.”



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