Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34999995›Full record

ArticleArchives of orthopaedic and trauma surgery2023

Approach-related anatomical differences in patients with lumbo-sacral transitional vertebrae undergoing lumbar fusion surgery at level L4/5.

Luis Becker, Dominik Adl Amini, Katharina Ziegeler, Maximilian Muellner, Torsten Diekhoff, Alexander P Hughes, Matthias Pumberger

Open access · hybridFull text read
In one paragraph

Article in Archives of orthopaedic and trauma surgery, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
3.3field-weighted citation impact, top 8% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 16 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Lateral Transpsoas Interbody Fusion.International journal of spine surgery · 2025
    Article
  4. Review
  5. Article
  6. Review
  7. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Luis BeckerCenter for Musculoskeletal Surgery, Charité-University Medicine Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
Dominik Adl AminiCenter for Musculoskeletal Surgery, Charité-University Medicine Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
Katharina ZiegelerDepartment of Radiology, Charité-University Medicine Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
Maximilian MuellnerCenter for Musculoskeletal Surgery, Charité-University Medicine Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
Torsten DiekhoffDepartment of Radiology, Charité-University Medicine Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
Alexander P HughesSpine Care Institute, Hospital for Special Surgery, 535 East 70th S, New York, NY, 10021, USA.
Matthias PumbergerCenter for Musculoskeletal Surgery, Charité-University Medicine Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany. matthias.pumberger@charite.de.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0885-7370
Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin · DEHospital for Special Surgery · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionLumbo-sacral transitional vertebrae (LSTV) are accompanied by changes in soft tissue anatomy. The aim of our retrospective study was to evaluate the effects of LSTV as well as the number of free lumbar vertebrae on surgical approaches of ALIF, OLIF and LLIF at level L4/5. MATERIAL AND

methodsWe assessed the CTs of 819 patients. Of these, 53 had LSTV from which 11 had six (6LV) and 9 four free lumbar vertebrae (4LV). We matched them for sex and age to a control group.

resultsPatients with LSTV had a higher iliac crest and vena cava bifurcation, a greater distance between the common iliac veins and an anterior translation of the psoas muscle at level L4/5. In contrast, patients with 6LV had a lower iliac crest and aortic bifurcation, no differences in vena cava bifurcation and distance between the iliac veins compared to the control group.

conclusionsFor patients with LSTV and five or four free lumbar vertebrae, the LLIF approach at L4/5 may be hindered due to a high riding iliac crest as well as anterior shift of the psoas muscle. Whereas less mobilization and retraction of the iliac veins may reduce the risk of vascular injury at this segment by ALIF and OLIF. For patients with 6LV, a lower relative height of the iliac crest facilitates lateral approach during LLIF. For ALIF and OLIF, a stronger vessel retraction due to the deeper-seated vascular bifurcation is necessary during ALIF and is therefore potentially at higher risk for vascular injury.

Indexed as

Spinal DiseasesSpinal FusionVascular System InjuriesHumansLumbar VertebraePsoas MusclesRetrospective StudiesALIFLLIFLSTVLumbarizationOLIFSacralization

Identifiers

PMID34999995
PMCPMC10030414
OpenAlexW4206758985

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Textfull text, public
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.