TLIF (Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion)

TLIF is a spinal fusion operation for the lower back. Through the back, the surgeon removes the worn disc between two vertebrae, places a spacer (cage) filled with bone graft in the disc space, and fixes the level with screws and rods so the two bones grow into one.

It aims to stop painful or unstable movement at one segment and to free trapped nerves, which mainly improves leg pain. Relief of back pain is less predictable, the fused level no longer moves, and the neighbouring levels carry more load afterwards.

What TLIF (Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion) involves

You lie face down under general anaesthetic. Using X-ray guidance, pedicle screws are placed into the vertebrae above and below the affected disc. On the more symptomatic side, the facet joint is removed to open a corridor through the foramen, the channel where the nerve leaves the spine. Working beside the nerve sac rather than pulling it across, the surgeon clears out the disc, prepares the bony end plates, packs bone graft and inserts a cage to restore disc height. Rods are connected to the screws and tightened, and more graft is laid alongside. Nerve monitoring is often used throughout. A drain may be left for a day.

Who is a good candidate for TLIF (Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion)?

Fusion is considered when a structural problem matches your symptoms and proper non-surgical care has not helped.

• Spondylolisthesis (a slipped vertebra) with leg pain or difficulty walking
• Spinal stenosis where decompression would leave the segment unstable
• Recurrent disc herniation at the same level
• Degenerative disc disease at one or two levels with confirmed instability, after at least 6 months of rehabilitation

Es ist normalerweise nicht die richtige Wahl, wenn:

• Non-specific back pain without a clear structural cause on imaging
• Severe osteoporosis, where screws may not hold
• Active infection or uncontrolled diabetes
• Smokers unwilling to stop, since nicotine markedly reduces fusion rates
• Multi-level degeneration where a single-level fusion is unlikely to help

Technikoptionen

• Open TLIF: A midline incision with muscle retraction. Gives wide access; useful for high-grade slips or revision surgery.
• Minimally invasive TLIF: Tubular retractors and screws placed through the skin. Less blood loss and muscle damage, with similar fusion rates in suitable cases.
• Navigation or robot-assisted screws: Intra-operative imaging guides screw placement, helpful in distorted anatomy.
• Alternatives: PLIF, ALIF, lateral fusion: Different routes to the same disc space. The surgeon chooses according to level, previous surgery and alignment goals.

Was passiert während Ihrer Behandlung

Surgery takes 2 to 4 hours for one level under general anaesthetic. You wake with a wound dressing on your back and usually a urinary catheter for the first night. Physiotherapists help you stand and walk the next day. Hospital stay is 2 to 4 nights.

Vorbereitung auf Ihre Reise

Planen Sie 10 bis 14 Tage in Istanbul. Ihr Chirurg überprüft Fotos und Ihre Krankengeschichte, bevor Sie buchen, und Sie treffen sich persönlich am Tag vor der Operation zur Untersuchung, Markierung und Zustimmung mit einem professionellen Dolmetscher.

• Stoppen Sie das Rauchen und Nikotin mindestens vier Wochen vor und nach der Operation; es ist die größte vermeidbare Ursache von Wundproblemen
• Erzählen Sie dem Team von allen Medikamenten und Ergänzungen, die Sie einnehmen; Blutverdünner, einige Kräuterprodukte und Hormonbehandlungen müssen möglicherweise auf Anraten Ihres Arztes unterbrochen werden
• Vereinbaren Sie, dass jemand mit Ihnen reist oder erreichbar ist, und halten Sie die ersten Tage zu Hause frei von Arbeit und Heben
• Buchen Sie einen veränderlichen Rückflug; Ihr Chirurg bestätigt, wenn Sie fit sind

Genesung und Ergebnisse

Walking is encouraged from day one. Avoid bending, twisting and lifting more than a few kilos for 6 to 12 weeks. Desk work is often possible at 4 to 6 weeks, manual work at 3 to 6 months. Bone fusion takes 6 to 12 months and is checked with X-rays or CT. Long flights are usually acceptable after 10 to 14 days, with regular walking during the flight.

• Zurück zur alltäglichen Aktivität: 6 bis 12 Wochen
• When results show: Leg pain often eases within days; fusion at 6 to 12 months
• How long they last: Permanent fusion

Sicherheit, Risiken und Revisionspolitik

Spinal fusion is major surgery. Most people do well, but the following are real possibilities.

• Nerve root irritation or injury, causing new leg pain, numbness or weakness
• Tear of the dural sac with spinal fluid leak
• Non-union, where the bones fail to fuse, sometimes requiring revision
• Misplaced or loosened screws, or cage movement
• Wound infection, deep in about 1 to 3 percent
• Blutgerinnsel in den Beinen oder Lungen
• Adjacent segment degeneration in later years
• Persistent back pain despite a solid fusion

Jeder schriftliche Vorschlag wird durch Clinic-Y gibt an, was die Klinik abdeckt, wenn eine Korrektur erforderlich ist. Fragen Sie danach, bevor Sie buchen, nicht danach.

Cost of TLIF (Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion) in Türkiye

Clinic-Y does not publish a single price for TLIF (Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion), because the honest figure depends on your case. What moves it:

• Number of levels fused
• Implant type, including cage material and navigation or robot use
• Open or minimally invasive technique
• Nerve monitoring and length of stay
• Post-operative bracing and physiotherapy

Senden Sie Ihre Fotos oder Berichte und Sie erhalten geschrieben, All-inclusive Vorschläge von geeigneten Teams, Seite an Seite. Die Überprüfung Ihres Falls ist kostenlos.

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