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Study Tests Unilateral Versus Bilateral Lumbar Fusion

For patients with degenerative lumbar diseases, the unilateral pedicle screw (PS) instrumented transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) procedure results in shorter operative time, less blood loss, and reduced implant costs compared with a bilateral PS instrumented TLIF procedure, according to research published in the March issue of The Spine Journal.

Huaming Xue, M.D., of the Shanghai Yangpu District Central Hospital, and colleagues conducted a prospective, randomized trial involving 80 patients with degenerative lumbar diseases who underwent the TLIF procedure using either unilateral or bilateral PS fixation.

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