Medtronic Introduces Innovative Procedure for Minimally Invasive Spinal Fusion

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT) the world leader in spinal technology, announced an innovative approach to minimally invasive spinal fusion at the 27th annual meeting of the North American Spine Society in Dallas, TX.The OLIF25™Procedure allows for psoas preserving access to the L2-L5 levels and incorporates Medtronic’s comprehensive surgical platform of access, interbody, neuromonitoring, navigation, fixation and biologic options. Referred to as Oblique Lateral Interbody Fusion for L2-L5, this procedure leverages traditional ALIF principles with the in-situ convenience of the less invasive lateral approach. Utilizing an oblique lateral trajectory away from the posterior nerves within the psoas muscle, this procedure is an alternative to approaches dependent on neuromonitoring to traverse the psoas muscle. In addition, the OLIF25™procedure allows for easier access around the iliac crest at L4-L5, and it is a step towards more reproducible lateral access to the L5-S1 disc space.
“The OLIF25™ Procedure combines the advantages of the historical open retroperitoneal approach to the anterior spine with the minimally invasive access benefits from more recent lateral techniques,” said Dr. Richard Hynes, spine surgeon at The B.A.C.K. Center in Melbourne, FL. “By utilizing an oblique lateral approach to the spine, this procedure enables placement of a large interbody graft into the disc space for anterior column support and segmental sagittal alignment while minimizing the nerve, muscle, and bone obstacles associated with traditional direct lateral approaches.”
The OLIF25™Procedure may also be used with Medtronic’s surgical navigation and imaging systems. This allows for decreased exposure to radiation for hospital staff and physicians, and provides intraoperative assessment of the approach and device placement.The OLIF25™ Procedure is the latest advancement in a series of integrated procedural solutions that compliments Medtronic Spinal’s minimally invasive MAST® portfolio to successfully treat patients for a variety of degenerative and deformity spinal conditions. In the United States, over 250,000 individuals undergo spinal fusions annually to treat degenerative changes in the lumbar spine.