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pubmed:abstractText |
The 11th rib extrapleural-retroperitoneal approach offers an alternative means for access to the thoracolumbar junction. It provides excellent operative exposure without the need to transgress the diaphragm, resulting in less morbidity and reduced risk of pulmonary complications. This approach, however, has been dismissed by many surgeons offering the unsubstantiated criticism that it affords limited access. Thus far, only technical descriptions of the operative procedure are available in the literature, without documentation of the clinical outcomes of these patients. In the current study the authors describe the 11th rib extrapleural-retroperitoneal approach to the thoracolumbar junction, and they evaluate the associated early and late morbidity in these patients.
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