Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery and Minimal Access Spinal Surgery Compared in Anterior Thoracic or Thoracolumbar Junctional Spinal Reconstruction: A Case-Control Study and Review of the Literature

Figure 3

Anterior minimal access spinal surgery for treating thoracic disc herniation of T11-12 in a 41-year-old woman. (a) and (b) Narrowing disc space with endplate sclerosis on T11-12 level was noticed. (c) and (d) Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) shows left paracentral disc herniation on T11-12 level. (e) A 7 cm skin incision in the patient’s left lateral thoracic cage. (f) and (g) Anterior retropleural and retroperitoneal approach for thoracic discectomy and fusion was performed using a double-barreled rib strut graft and anterior vertebral instrumentation. No intraoperative one-lung ventilation, a postoperative chest tube, or ICU care was given. Solid bone fusion on T11-12 was noticed at the 2-year follow-up.

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