Posterior lumbar interbody fusion: an old concept with new techniques.

The estimated cumulative cost of health care attributable to back pain exceeds 25 billion dollars per year in the United States, and more than 200,000 spine fusion procedures are performed each year in an effort to relieve discogenic back pain and instability. These numbers are projected to rise in the face of our aging population. As new interbody grafting sources have been developed, posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) is being used with increasing frequency. PLIF was once a procedure that required extensive dissection of the musculoligamentous complex of the dorsal spine. Advances in surgical technique and technology now allow access to spinal structures with minimal trauma to surrounding tissue. Knowledge of the various fusion procedures can assist nurses caring for the unique needs of patients undergoing spinal surgery.