Low back pain affects the majority of the U.S. population at some point in their lives. In most cases low back pain can be treated without surgery, but when conservative management fails, surgery may be required. Lumbar interbody fusion is frequently used to treat spinal degenerative conditions
with the goal of relieving pain associated with the intervertebral disc(s) or other components of the joint by fusing adjacent vertebrae and eliminating the articulation between the vertebral bodies. Lumbar fusion can be accomplished using open surgery or minimally invasive surgery, and via
approaches through the front (anterior), back (posterior), and side (lateral) of the patient's body. Lateral lumbar interbody fusion can be accomplished through an open approach, and through minimally invasive approaches. An extreme lateral interbody fusion (XLIF) lumbar procedure has been developed to achieve spinal fusion while avoiding the major muscle groups in the back (posterior approach) or the organs and blood vessels in the abdomen (anterior approach).