Awake full-endoscopic transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion via the trans-Kambin approach under local anaesthesia in a nonagenarian.
Maria Auron, Win Boonsirikamchai, Borriwat Santipas et al.
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Case in brief
A nonagenarian with recurrent symptomatic foraminal stenosis at L4-L5, following previous decompression surgeries, underwent full-endoscopic transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (FE-TLIF) via the trans-Kambin approach under local anaesthesia. The procedure was well tolerated, resulting in significant pain relief, early mobilisation, and radiological evidence of initial fusion at 10 months follow-up.
Diagnostic / clinical pearl
This case highlights that age should not be the sole factor in surgical decision-making for spinal fusion, as minimally invasive techniques can be safely applied in older patients.
Why it matters
The findings suggest that physiological age may be more relevant than chronological age in determining surgical candidacy for spinal procedures in the elderly.