TROPIC: Transfascial Oblique Posterior Interbody Correction: Technical Note.

Background: Adult spinal deformity is a common problem in today's aging adult population, particularly in the thoracolumbar spine. This can lead to severe pain and disability, leading to a poorer quality of life. Traditionally, open deformity correction has been the mainstay of treatment for these patients as it provides an excellent operative corridor; however, this comes with severe risk and high complication rates. There has been a trend toward more minimally invasive approaches to correct the deformity while preserving the muscle and soft tissue surrounding the bony spine across the fusion.

Methods: We describe a minimally invasive surgical technique through a Wiltse approach without invading the paraspinal musculature to gain access to the bony spine to perform lumbar interbody fusions and osteotomies.

Results: A total of 3 patients were identified for this technical note who underwent the transfascial oblique posterior interbody correction procedure for adult spinal deformity. The patients had severe coronal and rotational imbalances. We were able to achieve adequate correction through an approach without disturbing the spinal musculature and soft tissues.

Conclusions: This technique provides benefits of spinal rotational and coronal plane correction and restores lordosis with current advancements of today's technologies without the downsides of an open surgical approach.