Table 1.

Characteristics of lumbar interbody fusion techniques

Characteristics	Posterior approach				Anterior approach		Lateral approach
	PLIF	MI PLIF	TLIF	MI TLIF	ALIF	MI ALIF	XLIF	OLIF
Advantages
Direct neural decompression	○	○	○	○	×	×	×	×
Area of fusion site	○	○	▵	▵	◎	◎	◎	◎
Disc height restoration	○	○	○	○	◎	◎	◎	◎
Alignment correction	○	○	▵	▵	◎	◎	◎	◎
Disadvantages
Invasiveness	○	▵	○	▵	◎	▵	▵	▵
Risk of neural tissue traction	○	○	▵	▵	×	×	▵	×
Risk of vascular injury	▵	▵	▵	▵	○	○	○	○
Back muscle damage	○	▵	○	▵	×	×	×	×

◎: more compatible, ○: compatible, ▵: less compatible, ×: not compatible. ALIF: anterior LIF, LIF: lumbar interbody fusion, MI: minimally invasive, OLIF: oblique LIF, PLIF: posterior LIF, TLIF: transforaminal LIF, XLIF: extreme lateral LIF.