Imaging study of the effect of postural changes on the retroperitoneal oblique corridor in degenerative lumbar scoliosis

Wei Yang, Zecheng Cai, Xiaoyin Liu, Wenqi Yuan, Rong Ma, Zhen Chen, Jianqun Zhang, Peng Wu, Zhaohui Ge

May 2023, pp 1 - 7 Original Article Read Full Article

First Online: 30 May 2023

Purpose

To investigate the effect of postural changes on access for the OLIF of L2 to L5 in patients with degenerative lumbar scoliosis.

Methods

Twenty-one individuals with degenerative lumbar scoliosis were chosen at random, 11 with left-sided convexity and 10 with left-sided concavity. Axial T2-weighted images were used to measure the following variables: (1) the distance between the left psoas major muscle and the abdominal aorta; (2) the angle of the surgical access; (3) the distance between the psoas major muscle attachment point and the vertebral body's transverse axis; (4) the region of the psoas major muscle above the vertebrae; and (5) the width-to-thickness ratio. A statistical analysis of the measured parameters was done.

Results

The L2-5 segment in the supine position had a significantly longer window distance in the left convex and left concave groups than in the right lateral recumbent posture (P

Conclusions

The right lateral recumbent position limits access to OLIF for degenerative lumbar scoliosis, and the "safety window" for OLIF operation in the parietal region is smaller in the left convex group compared to the left concave group, posing a higher risk of intraoperative vascular and neurological injury.

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