Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40485778›Full record

ArticleAsian journal of neurosurgery2025

Minimally Invasive L5-S1 Anterior TLIF Cage Placement in Lateral ALIF Exposure as a Bailout Option for Low Iliocaval Junctions: Report of Four Cases.

Timothy Y Kim, Martin H Pham

Abstract readCase Reports
In one paragraph

Article in Asian journal of neurosurgery, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

2 authors.

Timothy Y KimDepartment of Neurosurgery, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, California, United States.
Martin H PhamDepartment of Neurosurgery, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, California, United States.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The aim of this study was to demonstrate that anteriorly placed transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) footprint bullet cage is a safe and effective bailout option if difficult left common iliac vein (LCIV) anatomy is unexpectedly encountered during the L5-S1 lateral anterior lumbar interbody fusion (L-ALIF). This retrospective case series includes four patients who received anteriorly placed TLIF cages at L5-S1 during L-ALIF surgery. Demographics, complications, and clinical/radiographic results were collected. The analysis included four female patients with a mean age of 59.0 years and mean body mass index (BMI) of 23.9. Three patients had degenerative conditions and one patient had a deformity. All the patients had an LCIV obstructing the center of the L5-S1 disk space, and titanium TLIF bullet cages were placed and secured with washers and screws. The L5-S1 segmental lordosis increased by 8.3 ± 6.1 degrees with a final mean lordosis of 23.5 ± 8.4 degrees; the L5-S1 intradiskal angle increased by 12.0 ± 7.0 degrees with a final mean disk angle of 18.8 ± 7.0 degrees; the posterior disk height increased by 4.4 ± 2.7 mm with a final mean disk height of 8.0 ± 2.1 mm. The mean numerical rating scale (NRS) for back pain improved by 5.3 ± 2.5 and the mean NRS leg pain improved by 7.7 ± 2.5 over a mean follow-up of 14 months (range: 6-20). There have been no perioperative complications or implant failure to date. If challenging vascular anatomy is encountered during L-ALIF exposure that prevents ALIF footprint cage placement, proceeding with smaller TLIF bullet cage placement anteriorly rather than abandoning the surgical approach is a safe and effective option.

Indexed as

degenerative spondylosisL5–S1 spinelateral ALIFsingle position surgeryTLIF

Identifiers

PMID40485778
PMCPMC12136957

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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.