Assessment of related surgical complications of minimally invasive retropleural approach to the thoraco-lumbar spine

Abstract Objective To review the complications associated with the minimally invasive retropleural approach used in the anterior approach to the thoraco-lumbar spine. Material and method We present the MIS surgical technique and the evaluation of data collected prospectively from the initial series of 31 patients undergoing surgery. Pleural opening during the approach, lung complications derived, other surgical complications, time of intervention, intraoperative bleeding, need for transfusion and hospital stay are evaluated. Discussion The mean age of the patients was 58 years, the surgical time 225 min, and the bleeding 274 ml, with a 13% postoperative transfusion. Intraoperatively, pleural opening was detected in 8 cases, of which none had major pulmonary complications during the postoperative period. There were 3 cases of mild pleural effusion, all patients without pleural opening, and one case of haemopneumothorax due to intercostal vessel bleeding that required reoperation. The percentage of intercostal neuralgia was 3%. The mean hospital stay was 6.7 days, and 24 of 31 patients were able to initiate early mobilization on the first postoperative day. Conclusions The retropleural approach allows the surgical treatment of pathologies requiring anterior access to the thoraco-lumbar spine, with a low profile of pulmonary complications, and with the advantages of minimally invasive techniques in terms of less bleeding, early recovery and shorter hospital stay. Nevertheless the learning curve is long.