Minimally invasive surgery for the lumbar spine

Minimally invasive spine surgery is a rapidly developing field that has the potential to decrease surgical morbidity and improve recovery compared to traditional spinal approaches. Minimally invasive approaches have been developed for all regions of the spine, but have been best documented for degenerative conditions of the lumbar spine. Lumbar decompression and lumbar interbody fusion are two of the most well-studied minimally invasive surgical approaches. This article will review both the rationale and technique for minimally invasive lumbar decompression and for a minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF).