PLF vs PLIF: Moving towards a gold standard in posterior lumbar spinal fusion surgery.

Abstract

Low back pain currently contributes an exorbitant cost to Australia’s healthcare system. Where conservative and medical management is insufficient, it is pertinent that surgical techniques offer the most cost-effective and successful patient outcome. Posterolateral Fusion (PLF) and Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (PLIF) are two popular options in managing spinal pathologies with the goal of long-term stabilisation [Said et al., 2022]. Of the limited literature that compares the two, outcomes are heterogeneous with minimal progress made towards adopting a gold-standard approach. PLIF operative time tends to be longer, with higher associated costs. The question remains whether the benefits of PLIF offset these factors compared to PLF alone. We aimed to compare clinical outcomes between patients undergoing PLF and PLIF.