The lateral approach to the lumbar spine was pioneered in the late 1990s and popularized in the early 2000s. The popularization was driven by the use of neuromonitoring systems giving surgeons the ability to avoid nerve crush or transection injuries. Along with advancements in neuromonitoring, companies developed specialized instrumentation to place static cages made from biocompatible materials into the disc space. These advancements and techniques provided surgeons the ability to treat patients suffering from lumbar disorders.
During the course of use of these techniques, surgeons began to ...
