I'm getting ready to go for my discogram and possible thoracic discectomy... don't have much time.
All the "LIF's" above are lumbar interbody fusions. STALIF is Stand Alone, which is done from the front and does not require posterior screws and rods (hence stand alone). Many surgeons will still add postior hardware saying 'to be safe'. The ones that don't say you don't need a belt AND suspenders.
PLIF is posterior. TLIF is transforaminal or kind of a modified posterior approach. Both are from the back and include screws and rods.
Many don't understand that your surgeon not doing ADR at L4-5 is his choosing that level for fusion... it is his feeling that there is a contraindication for ADR at that level. MY guess (remember that I am not a doctor) is that he is not comfortable with the approach. Unless you have something really weird going on, that would be HIS comfort with the approach and a very experienced ADR surgeon would not even pause.
It sucks that you have the external pressures of timing and insurance. I'll be home next week... call me (number on my website linked below) or private message your phone number and I'll call you when I can. The long travel days (hopefully tomorrow) give me time to catch up on phone calls. Of course... no charge.
Mark
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