Outcomes and Spinopelvic Changes After Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion With a Novel Interbody Fusion Device: A Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND

Interbody devices in anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) are currently a focus of innovation due to their potential to improve clinical outcomes. The purpose of the present study was to analyze complications and changes in spinopelvic parameters after ALIF with the novel Medacta MectaLIF interbody fusion device.

METHODS

Patients aged 18 to 80 years who underwent multilevel ALIF using this novel implant were identified. Demographic and surgical data were collected. Patients were divided into short- and long-fusion cohorts. A comparison of outcomes between the short- and long-fusion groups was performed using the Student test for continuous variables and Fisher's exact test and the χ test for categorical variables. Analysis of the pre- vs postoperative radiographic data for the entire cohort was performed using the 2-tailed Student test.

RESULTS

One hundred and eight patients met the inclusion criteria. No significant postoperative change was observed in L1-4 lumbar lordosis (LL). L1-S1 LL increased to a mean of 55.1 ± 12.8 (a mean change of 10.7 ± 14.5), and L4-S1 LL increased to a mean of 38.4 ± 8.7 (a mean increase of 7.5 ± 8.2), with pelvic incidence LL mismatch changing from 8.9 ± 15.1 to 1.1 ± 13.5 ( = 102). Related changes in sacral slope and pelvic tilt were also observed (33.0 ± 11.0 to 37.6 ± 10.9 and 19.6 ± 9.5 to 18.2 ± 9.1 [ = 103], respectively). Five patients (4.6%) experienced implant subsidence, 1 (0.9%) had implant migration, and 6 (5.6%) experienced a nonunion. There was no difference in the rates of complications associated with the novel implant in the short- and long-fusion cohorts.

CONCLUSION

This novel implant achieves correction of spinopelvic parameters with minimal complications. The ability to modify the implant intraoperatively based on the patient's anatomy can help achieve maximal contact area and therefore help reduce the risk of subsidence.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

This modular implant can achieve correction of spinopelvic parameters with minimal medical and surgical complications.