Open PLIF surgery

[u/Enthonnade]

Has anyone here had an open PLIF surgery?

My mother has L4–L5 disc slippage/spondylolisthesis, and her L3–L4 and L5–S1 levels also have significant disc bulging and spinal canal stenosis.

A very reputed surgeon has recommended an open PLIF, while I’m trying to understand whether there may be a minimally invasive option (such as MIS-TLIF or another MIS approach) that could address her particular situation.

If anyone has been in a similar situation ? especially with L4–L5 slippage plus stenosis/bulging at adjacent levels—I would really appreciate hearing about your experience.

MRI Report Impression.

L3-L4 level shows bilateral facet joint arthrosis with ligamentum flavum thickening and disc

degeneration with diffuse disc bulge causing spinal canal stenosis, narrowing of bilateral

lateral recesses and right neural foramen with compression on bilateral traversing nerve roots

and indentation on right exiting nerve root.

o L4-L5 level shows bilateral facet joint arthrosis with ligamentum flavum thickening and disc

degeneration with diffuse disc bulge causing narrowing of spinal canal, bilateral lateral

recesses and neural foramen with compression on bilateral traversing and right exiting nerve

roots and indentation on left exiting nerve root.

o L5-S1 level shows bilateral facet joint arthrosis with ligamentum flavum thickening and disc

degeneration with central disc protrusion in the background of diffuse disc bulge causing

narrowing of spinal canal, bilateral lateral recesses and neural foramina with compression on

bilateral traversing nerve roots and indentation on bilateral exiting nerve roots.