UK’s NICE issues updated guidance on lateral interbody fusion procedures

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Updated guidance has been published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the UK for lateral interbody fusion in the lumbar spine. NICE state that the evidence on efficacy for lateral interbody fusion is adequate in quality and quantity, and that the procedure may be used provided that standard arrangements are in place for clinical governance, consent and audit.

Initial NICE guidance for lateral interbody fusion was published in 2009 with additional special measures that impacted adoption of the procedure in the UK.

The majority of the evidence submitted to and reviewed by the panel comprised of peer-reviewed journal articles describing the now 14-year experience with, and outcomes following, Nuvasive’s Extreme lateral interbody fusion (XLIF) procedure.

In response to a request for input prior to a planned re-review of NICE guidance, NuVasive evidence for the company’s procedure, including data outlining safety profile, rate of fusion, and improvements in pain and disability.

The updated guidance was supported by a systematic literature review of more than 200 previously published studies as a high-quality summary of the safety and efficacy of the procedure.

Jason Hannon, NuVasive’s president and chief operating officer, says, “Our team has worked diligently with NICE since 2015 to gather, analyse and review the available evidence. The updated guidance further supports the clinical efficacy of XLIF and will help expand the availability of XLIF to back pain sufferers in the UK and around the world.”