title: Navigated 2-level posterior lumbar fusion: a 5-cm-incision procedure.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The current study presents a technique (navigated posterior lumbar fusion) which takes a 5-cm incision to accomplish a 2-level posterior lumbar fusion (PLF) and compared its efficacy and efficiency with those of conventional PLF.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty patients who were indicated for 2-level lumbar fusion were included and randomized to either navigated PLF group or conventional PLF group. Blood loss, operation time, incision length, complications, bed rest period, and length of hospitalization were recorded. Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scoring was also performed for each patient before surgery, 3 months after surgery, and 2 years after surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incision length was significantly shorter in the navigated PLF group than in the conventional PLF group (4.8 vs. 10.9 cm, p = 0.001). Accordingly, the blood loss was also significantly less in the navigated PLF group than in the conventional PLF group (209.0 vs. 334.0 ml, p = 0.047). There was no significant difference in total operation time between the two groups (160.7 vs. 144.4 min, p = 0.116). Compared to the conventional PLF group, the navigated PLF group showed significantly less postoperative blood loss, less time to mobilization, and shorter length of hospital stay. The ODI score improved significantly in the both groups immediately after surgery, and maintained well in the following 2 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compared to conventional PLF, navigated PLF proved to be superior with regard to incision length, blood loss, time to mobilization, and shorter length of hospital stay.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Peking University First Hospital, Xicheng District, Beijing, 100034, China. wangyuspine@pkufh.cn.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Peking University First Hospital, Xicheng District, Beijing, 100034, China. 06340@pkufh.cn.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Peking University First Hospital, Xicheng District, Beijing, 100034, China. huyongkai@pkufh.cn.
authors.forename: Yongkai
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Peking University First Hospital, Xicheng District, Beijing, 100034, China. yixiaodong@pkufh.cn.
authors.forename: Xiaodong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Peking University First Hospital, Xicheng District, Beijing, 100034, China. chundeli@pkufh.cn.
authors.forename: Chunde
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical; D004434:Early Ambulation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D055959:Intervertebral Disc Degeneration / Q000601:surgery*; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D061646:Operative Time; D019106:Postoperative Hemorrhage; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods