Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion Versus Oblique Lumbar Interbody Fusion Versus Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion: Which One in Which Patient?

Anterolateral approaches to the lumbar spine provide direct access to the disc space. These techniques facilitate thorough discectomy, which is essential for successful arthrodesis. They improve segmental lordosis without osteotomy and indirectly decompress neural elements in carefully selected patients. Benefits include shorter operative times, reduced blood loss, and rapid postoperative mobilization compared to posterior approaches. Each technique has specific advantages and limitations, thus none is inherently superior to another. Detailed knowledge of these techniques is essential for modern spine surgeon to provide personalized operative plan for each patient.