Pearls and Pitfalls of Oblique Lateral Interbody Fusion: A Comprehensive Narrative Review

Abstract

Lumbar degenerative disease is a common problem in an aging society. Oblique lateral in-terbody fusion (OLIF) is a minimally invasive surgical (MIS) technique that utilizes a retro-peritoneal antepsoas corridor to treat lumbar degenerative disease. OLIF has theoretical ad-vantages over other lumbar fusion techniques, such as a lower risk of lumbar plexus injury than direct lateral interbody fusion (DLIF). Previous studies have reported favorable clinical and radiological outcomes of OLIF in various lumbar degenerative diseases. The use of OLIF is increasing, and evidence on OLIF is growing in the literature. The indications for OLIF are also expanding with the help of recent technical developments, including stereo-tactic navigation systems and robotics. In this review, we present current evidence on OLIF for the treatment of lumbar degenerative disease, focusing on the expansion of surgical in-dications and recent advancements in the OLIF procedure.