Minimally invasive laparoscopic and robotic anterior lumbar interbody fusion: a systematic review and future directions

作者：Ignace De Decker, Mohamad Bakhaidar, Summer Shabana, Meriem Boukhiam, Sabino Zani, Muhammad M. Abd‐El‐Barr · 发表于：BMC Surgery · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1186/s12893-025-02890-0 · 被引用次数：5 · 研究领域：Spine and Intervertebral Disc Pathology、Cervical and Thoracic Myelopathy、Scoliosis diagnosis and treatment

INTRODUCTION: Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (ALIF) is a commonly performed spine surgery procedure used to treat lumbar conditions such as degenerative disc disease, spondylolisthesis, and spinal deformities. Traditionally, it has been performed using open and mini-open surgical techniques. Recently, however, laparoscopic and robotic-assisted ALIF have gained attention for their potential benefits, including shorter recovery times, fewer complications, and improved patient outcomes. However, the safety, effectiveness, and long-term outcomes of these newer techniques remain to be fully compared to conventional methods. METHODS: The systematic review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. MEDLINE and Cochrane databases were searched for studies on laparoscopic and robotic approaches to the anterior spine, with a focus on ALIF. Article selection and data extraction were independently conducted by two reviewers. Studies involving animal models, non-ALIF robotic techniques, or non-English publications were excluded. RESULTS: A total of 650 articles were initially identified. After screening, a full-text review was conducted on 80 articles, of which 48 studies met the inclusion criteria: 42 focused on laparoscopic ALIF (L-ALIF) and 6 on robotic-assisted ALIF (R-ALIF). Laparoscopic ALIF achieved similar outcomes to mini-open methods, offering limited consistent benefits while presenting challenges such as a steep learning curve and a higher risk of retrograd...