A PROSPECTIVE STUDY COMPARING THE FUNCTIONAL AND RADIOLOGICAL OUTCOME OF TRANSFORAMINAL LUMBAR INTERBODY FUSION VS INSTRUMENTED POSTEROLATERAL FUSION IN THE DEGENERATIVE LUMBAR SPINE PATHOLOGY

Background: Degenerative lumbar spine disorders are a common cause of chronic pain and disability. Surgical fusion is often indicated when conservative measures fail. Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion (TLIF) offers theoretical biomechanical and clinical advantages over Instrumented Posterolateral Fusion (PLF), yet clinical superiority remains inconclusive. This was a prospective, comparative anal Methods: ytical study conducted at a tertiary care centre from May 2022 to March 2025. Eighty patients with degenerative lumbar canal stenosis were randomly assigned to receive either TLIF (n=40) or PLF (n=40). All patients underwent standardised pre- and post-operative evaluations using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and CT-based Bridwell grading. Follow-ups were scheduled at 1, 3, and 6 months and annually for 2 years. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS v26.0 with significance set at p<0.05. TLIF was associated Results: with significantly reduced surgical time, blood loss, and hospital stay (p<0.001). Functional improvement (ODI) was greater at early (1–3 months) and late (2 years) follow-ups in the TLIF group (p<0.001). Pain reduction (VAS) favoured TLIF from 6 months onwards (p<0.001). Fusion rates were comparable (TLIF 95% vs PLF 92%; p=0.494). Complications were minimal and similar between groups. Conclusion: TLIF demonstrated superior early and sustained functional outcomes, faster recovery, and comparable safety and fusion success compared to PLF. It may be preferred in appropriately selected patients with degenerative lumbar pathology.