Medtronic has launched the Pivox oblique lateral spinal system with lateral plate for OLIF25 and Divergence-L anterior/oblique lumbar fusion system for OLIF51 at the 2016 International Meeting on Advanced Spine Techniques (IMAST) in Washington, DC, USA.
According to a company release, the OLIF25 procedure helps surgeons preserve the patient’s psoas muscle when treating the L2-L5 levels of the spine and gives surgeons easier access around the patient’s iliac crest. It should also reduce patient positioning steps, and allow for a more upright surgeon posture with direct visualisation of the disc space, psoas muscle, and anterior longitudinal ligament.
The OLIF51 procedure provides lateral access to the L5-S1 disc space and does not require surgeons to reposition the patient if multiple levels of surgery are conducted, according to the release. The incision for the OLIF51 technique is intended to spare the abdominal muscles and allow gravity to aid in retraction.
“In my opinion, OLIF is one of the least invasive manners in which to achieve successful fusion in the lumbar spine. OLIF minimises disruption of the tissues surrounding the spine, particularly the psoas muscle and the embedded nerves. There is no need to use neuromonitoring, and the entire procedure can be done without repositioning the patient,” says Kamal R Woods, a neurosurgeon at Advanced Neurosurgery Associates in Murrieta, USA. “As with any anterolateral procedure, safe access to the spine is critical. The OLIF25 and OLIF51 retractor systems enhance the ease and reproducibility of the procedure.”
The Pivox oblique lateral spinal system with lateral plate is an interbody cage and plate engineered for the OLIF25 procedure. It can be used together at one or two contiguous levels from L2 to S1 without the need for additional posterior fixation.
The Divergence-L anterior/oblique lumbar fusion system is the first plate/interbody all-in-one system for both the OLIF51 procedure and the ALIF procedure, according to the press release. The Divergence-L system has specifically designed plates for the oblique or anterior approach, and has a large footprint with multiple height and lordosis options, intended to provide desired disc height and segmental lordosis.
