Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion Of The Human Spine, Anterior View

Description

Anterior to the lumbar spine, the animation tracks an anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) construct across adjacent vertebral bodies, with an interbody cage seated between the inferior endplate of the superior vertebra and the superior endplate of the inferior vertebra. Fixation hardware remains centered on the vertebral midline, spanning the anterior cortex with screws directed posteriorly into the vertebral bodies while the fused segment stays aligned in the sagittal plane. As the sequence progresses, the viewer appreciates how the implant restores disc height and maintains segmental lordosis at the treated level. Orientation stays strictly anterior, keeping the relationship of the implant to the vertebral bodies and endplates unambiguous. ALIF is chosen to address discogenic low back pain, degenerative disc disease, spondylolisthesis, and some revision cases where posterior scar makes re-entry undesirable, and the anterior approach supports larger graft footprints for fusion. Motion in the animation clarifies the stepwise logic of stabilization: the cage distracts the disc space, then the anterior plate or integrated fixation locks the segment to resist shear and extension, reducing micromotion that drives pseudarthrosis. It also helps explain hardware-related complications, including cage subsidence into osteoporotic endplates, screw back-out, or loss of lordosis when endplate preparation and implant positioning are suboptimal. Small details matter. Use this clip in orthopedic or neurosurgical teaching on lumbar fusion techniques, in preoperative counseling materials that explain what hardware remains in situ, or in journal and textbook figures discussing ALIF biomechanics and implant selection. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.