Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
5.2
2.9
Journals
JCM
Special Issues
Advancements in Lumbar Spine Surgery: Modern Strategies and Techniques
jcm-logo
Submit to JCM Review for JCM Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

► Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser
share announcement

Advancements in Lumbar Spine Surgery: Modern Strategies and Techniques

A special issue of Journal of Clinical Medicine (ISSN 2077-0383). This special issue belongs to the section "Orthopedics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2026) | Viewed by 1835

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Christian von der Brelie

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Neurosurgery, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
Interests: decompression; spinal fractures; subarachnoid hemorrhage; treatment outcome; neurosurgical procedures
Dr. Frank Beyer

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Hospital Porz am Rhein, Cologne, Germany
Interests: lumbar spine; spine surgery; new techniques; robotics; minimally-invasive; artificial intelligence (AI); navigation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Lumbar spine surgery addresses degenerative conditions such as disc disease, stenosis, facet arthrosis, and deformities often extending into the thoracic spine. When conservative care fails or neurological deficits develop, surgery—including decompression, fusion, deformity correction, and motion preservation—is essential.

This Special Issue invites submissions on topics including:

  • Minimally invasive surgery (MIS)
  • Endoscopic techniques
  • Fusion strategies and instrumentation
  • Motion preservation procedures
  • Deformity correction in lumbar and thoracolumbar spine
  • Robotics, navigation, and artificial intelligence
  • Multidisciplinary perioperative management

We welcome original research, reviews, and clinical cases advancing diagnostics, surgical innovation, and postoperative care. Your contributions will help enhance outcomes and drive progress in lumbar spine surgery.

Prof. Dr. Christian von der Brelie
Dr. Frank Beyer
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Clinical Medicine is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • lumbar spine
  • spine surgery
  • new techniques
  • robotics
  • minimally-invasive
  • artificial intelligence (AI)
  • navigation

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

12 pages, 911 KB  
Article
Predictors of Cage Subsidence After Oblique Lumbar Interbody Fusion
by Bongmo Koo, Jiwon Park and Jae-Young Hong
J. Clin. Med. 2025, 14(24), 8956; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14248956 - 18 Dec 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 780
Abstract
Background/Objective: Oblique lumbar interbody fusion (OLIF) achieves indirect decompression through restoration of disc height. Because maintenance of the restored disc space is essential for sustained neural decompression, solid fusion without cage subsidence is a key determinant of successful surgical outcomes. This study [...] Read more.
Background/Objective: Oblique lumbar interbody fusion (OLIF) achieves indirect decompression through restoration of disc height. Because maintenance of the restored disc space is essential for sustained neural decompression, solid fusion without cage subsidence is a key determinant of successful surgical outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate preoperative and intraoperative predictors of cage subsidence and radiographic fusion after OLIF. Methods: Seventy patients (119 levels) who underwent OLIF using a polyether–ether–ketone cage and posterior screw fixation between 2015 and 2023 were retrospectively reviewed. Preoperative bone quality was assessed using the computed tomography-based Hounsfield unit (HU) and magnetic resonance imaging-based vertebral bone quality (VBQ) score on T1-weighted images. Radiographic parameters of anterior and posterior disc height (ADH, PDH), segmental and lumbar lordotic angle (SLA, LLA), foraminal height (FH), and cage position were measured preoperatively at one-year follow-up. Results: Cage subsidence occurred in 21.0% of spinal levels (25/119 levels). Multivariate analysis identified these measures as independent predictors: HU (OR 1.017; p = 0.012), VBQ score (OR 2.716; p = 0.016), and PDH distraction (OR 1.418; p = 0.019). ROC analysis identified cutoff values of HU < 145.86 (AUC = 0.654), VBQ score > 3.30 (AUC = 0.723), and PDH distraction > 4.79 mm (AUC = 0.672). None of the evaluated factors were significantly associated with one-year radiographic fusion. Conclusions: Lower HU, higher VBQ score, and excessive PDH distraction are independent risk factors for cage subsidence after OLIF, although these factors do not appear to affect short-term fusion outcomes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancements in Lumbar Spine Surgery: Modern Strategies and Techniques)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 2952 KB  
Article
Biomechanical Analysis and Mid-Term Clinical Outcomes of the Dynamic-Transitional Optima Hybrid Lumbar Device
by Shih-Hao Chen, Shang-Chih Lin, Chi-Ruei Li, Zheng-Cheng Zhong, Chih-Ming Kao, Mao-Shih Lin and Hsi-Kai Tsou
J. Clin. Med. 2025, 14(22), 8087; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14228087 - 14 Nov 2025
Viewed by 764
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Spinal fusion with static fixation—surgically joining two or more vertebrae to eliminate motion—is commonly employed to treat degenerative spinal disease. However, the rigidity imposed by static constructs and the increased load on the adjacent segments frequently result in complications such as [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Spinal fusion with static fixation—surgically joining two or more vertebrae to eliminate motion—is commonly employed to treat degenerative spinal disease. However, the rigidity imposed by static constructs and the increased load on the adjacent segments frequently result in complications such as disc or facet degeneration, spinal stenosis (SS), and segmental instability. This study investigates the effectiveness of pedicle-based dynamic stabilization using the Dynesys system, particularly in a dynamic-transitional optima (DTO) hybrid configuration, in mitigating adjacent segment disease (ASD) and improving clinical outcomes. In this work, we analyzed the mechanical performance and intermediate-term clinical effects of the DTO hybrid lumbar device, focusing on how the load-sharing properties of the Dynesys cord–spacer stabilizers may contribute to junctional complications in individuals with diverse grades of intervertebral disc degeneration. Study Design/Setting: We designed a combined biomechanical finite element (FE) and experimental analysis to predict the clinical outcomes. Patient Sample: Among 115 patients with lumbar SS enrolled for analysis, 31 patients (mean age: 68.5 ± 7.5 years), with or without grade I spondylolisthesis (18/13), underwent a two-level DTO hybrid procedure—L4–L5 static fixation and L3–L4 dynamic stabilization—with minimal decompression to preserve the posterior tension band. Post-surgical follow-ups were conducted for over 48 months (range: 49–82). Outcome Measures: Radiological assessments were performed by two neurosurgeons, one orthopedic surgeon, and one neuroradiologist. The posterior disc height, listhesis distance, and dynamic angular changes were measured pre- and postoperatively to evaluate ASD progression. Methods: Dynamic instrumentation was assigned to the L3–L4 motion segment with lesser disc deterioration, in contrast to the L4–L5 segment, where static fixation was applied due to its greater degree of degeneration. FE analysis was performed under displacement-controlled conditions. Intersegmental motion analysis was conducted under load-controlled conditions in a synthetic model. Results: The DTO hybrid devices reduced stress and motion at the transition segment. However, compensatory biomechanical effects were more pronounced at the adjacent cephalad than the caudal segments. In the biomechanical trade-off zone—where balance between motion preservation and stabilization is critical—the flexible Dynesys cord significantly mitigated stiffness-related issues during flexion. At the L3–L4 transition level, the cord–spacer configuration enhanced dynamic function, increasing motion by 2.7% (rotation) and 12.7% (flexion), reducing disc stress by 4.1% (flexion) and 12.9% (extension), and decreasing the facet contact forces by 4.9% (rotation) and 15.6% (extension). The optimal cord stiffness (50–200 N/mm) aligned with the demands of mild disc degeneration, whereas stiffer cords were more effective for segments with higher degeneration. The pedicle screw motion in dynamic Dynesys systems—primarily caused by axial translation rather than vertical displacement—contributed to screw–vertebra interface stress, influenced by the underlying disc or bone degeneration. Conclusions: Modulating the cord pretension in DTO instrumentation effectively lessened the interface stress occurring at the screw–vertebra junction and adjacent facet joints, contributing to a reduced incidence of pedicle screw loosening, ASD, and revision rates. The modified DTO system, incorporating minimal decompression and preserving the posterior complex at the dynamic level, may be biomechanically favourable and clinically effective for managing transitional degeneration over the mid-term. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancements in Lumbar Spine Surgery: Modern Strategies and Techniques)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-2
Back to TopTop