• Weerasak Singhatanadgige, Piti Suranaowarat, Peeradon Jaruprat, Stephen J Kerr, Teerachat Tanasansomboon, and Worawat Limthongkul.
• Department of Orthopedics, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University and King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand; Center of Excellence in Biomechanics and Innovative Spine Surgery, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
• World Neurosurg. 2022 Nov 1; 167: e717e725e717-e725.

ObjectiveTo compare radiographic parameters at adjacent segments before and after minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion and assess relationships of radiographic changes between adjacent segments and fused level.MethodsStudy participants included 44 patients who underwent minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion at L4-5 level. Radiographic parameters at adjacent segments (L3-4 and L5-S1) and clinical parameters were reviewed.ResultsPostoperative dural sac area significantly increased in upper (mean change 8.05 mm2, P < 0.001) and lower (14.08 mm2, P < 0.001) adjacent segments. Significant increases in SAPD were seen in upper (0.85 mm, P < 0.001) and lower (0.66 mm, P < 0.001) adjacent segments. Ligamentum flavum thickness significantly decreased in lower adjacent segments (-0.37 mm, P = 0.006). For every 1-mm increase in fused level disc height, lower SAPD increased 0.22 mm (P = 0.04), and lower segmental angle increased 0.91° (P = 0.04). For every 1° increase in fused level segmental angle, lower dural sac area increased 1.25 mm2 (P = 0.03), and lower SAPD increased 0.12 mm (P = 0.003). The 6- and 12-month postoperative visual analog scale back and leg scores significantly decreased compared with preoperatively (back: mean change -5.98 and -6.05, P < 0.001; leg: -6.86 and -6.89, P < 0.001).ConclusionsPerforming minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion at the symptomatic index level does not worsen canal dimension of asymptomatic adjacent segments during short-term follow-up. It might be possible to improve canal dimension at adjacent segments by changing disc height or lordosis at the fused level via adjusting size and position of the interbody cage.Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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