Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (ALIF)

About Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (ALIF)

Anterior lumbar interbody fusion, or ALIF, is a spinal fusion technique in which the surgeon reaches the lumbar spine through an incision in the lower abdomen rather than through the back, allowing direct access to the front of the affected disc space. After removing the damaged disc, the surgeon places a structural spacer, or cage, packed with bone graft material into the empty disc space to restore disc height, relieve pressure on nearby nerves, and provide a scaffold for the vertebrae above and below to gradually fuse into one solid segment. This approach is often used for degenerative disc disease, spondylolisthesis, or as part of correcting spinal deformity, and it allows for a larger implant and greater correction of disc height and alignment than some posterior approaches, without disturbing the back muscles and nerves. The procedure is sometimes combined with posterior screws and rods placed through a separate incision for additional stability. Because the abdominal approach involves working near major blood vessels, it requires careful surgical planning and is generally performed by teams experienced in anterior spine access. India's spine surgery units routinely perform ALIF with the vascular support and imaging needed for this specific approach.