PLIF (Posteriar Lumbar Interbody Fusion)
PLIF stands for posterior lumbar interbody fusion. This means securing the spine along the back by means of cages placed between the vertebral bodies.
For whom?
Most patients with low back and/or leg pain do not require surgery. When non-operative treatment does not help enough, surgery may be considered.
The goal of surgery is to relieve you of severe pain and return stability to your back. The cause of the pain is usually wear and tear or degeneration of the intervertebral disc at the bottom of your back. This wear can occur after years of putting heavy strain on your back or due to instability of a link.
Intervention
You receive an incision in the middle of your back. During the procedure, the nerves that leave from the spinal cord are exposed and the worn out intervertebral disc is removed. The height of the collapsed intervertebral disc is raised by placing two cages. These cages are hollow and are filled with your own bone. Then the vertebrae are fixed by screws to increase the stability of the spine. So the vertebrae are connected by means of cages, screws and rods, but the real fusing takes several months and is monitored by radiographs.
Recovery
Your doctor will discuss which activities are best left out and when you can start physical therapy to strengthen your muscles.
Want to know more about your rehabilitation?
After orthopaedic surgery, you can follow an orthopaedic rehabilitation program:
Departments
For more information, please visit the orthopaedics department.