Minimally invasive tubular laminectomies in multilevel spine surgery-an illustrative case-based review of techniques and combined approaches.

Minimally invasive techniques have become part of the spine surgeons' armamentarium and are currently utilized to treat many conditions involving the cervical, thoracic, lumbar and sacral spine. Surgical treatment of severe degenerative conditions such as multilevel spinal stenosis, tandem stenosis, combination of stenosis or disk herniation and spondylolisthesis at adjacent spinal levels, as well as extensive infections or hematomas, may require a multilevel tailored approach with all the challenges that such surgical planning entails. Although the use of minimally invasive tubular decompressive procedures has gained widespread popularity in the recent years, the adoption of such techniques during multilevel spine surgery can be at times challenging.

The Use of a "Double-Triple Barrel" Technique during Minimally Invasive Multilevel Tubular Laminectomy. A Technical Note.

This report presents a modified use of multiple tubular retractors (that limits issues related to the sequential redocking of tubular systems) that may prove helpful in cases where a minimally invasive approach is utilized for the treatment of multilevel lumbar stenosis.