MIS XLIF®: Extreme Lateral Interbody Fusion
Overview
Extreme Lateral Interbody Fusion (XLIF®) is typically used
to treat leg or back pain caused by degenerative
disc disease.
An XLIF® procedure typically involves one small incision on the patient’s side. The surgeon inserts a probe and guides surgical instruments in the incision. The probe is used to help avoid interrupting the nerves. X-ray images guide the probe to the proper place in the spine. Using dilation tubes and a retraction device the surgeon gains access to the spine and removes the damaged disc. Once the disc is removed an implant filled with bone graft is placed in the empty disc space. This realigns the spine and relieves pressure from pinched nerve roots.
Using the XLIF® procedure, instead of traditional spine surgery, the surgeon avoids cutting into major muscles by making the incision in the patient’s side — which can mean less post-operative pain. This procedure is generally performed in an outpatient setting or 23 hour stay.
Watch XLIF Animations
Home Remedy Book
As a community service, Northwest Florida Spine mails out a free 36-page Home Remedy Book with customized stretches that can relieve some back and neck pain symptoms. Enter your name and address and we will mail you a copy.
Back to Life Journal
Download our free 16-page Back to Life Journal that shows how to get back to golf, tennis, hiking and more with home remedies. Insert your email to subscribe and download.
Symptoms Chart
Some symptoms can become permanent if you don’t see the physician with in 24 hours. Find out when you can use “watchful waiting” and when you have an emergency symptom.
Exercise Library
What do exercises have to do with relieving pain? Research in sports medicine and spine care exercises have shown to help relieve joint, ligament, muscle problems in the legs, arms, neck and back and increase range of motion.
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Dr. Michael Rohan, Jr. is a board certified orthopedic surgeon who is fellowship-trained in spine surgery, the highest level of medical education in the U.S. For over 10 years, Dr. Michael Rohan, Jr. had a prominent spine center on the Florida Gulf Coast with offices in Panama City and Destin before expanding his practice with a new spine care location in Middleburg in Clay County, Florida, a suburb of Jacksonville in Northern Florida. The Jacksonville practice location is convenient to patients from other cities like St. Augustine, Gainesville, Palm Coast, Daytona Beach, and Duval County. Other patients travel from South Georgia cities like Brunswick, GA; Waycross, GA; and coastal locations like Jekyll Island and Savannah. If you’ve been told you need spine surgery, it can be beneficial to get a second opinion for spine surgery from a spine surgeon who specializes in minimally invasive spine surgery and artificial disc replacement.
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