I’m 77-years old and have terrible back pain. I can’t garden, play golf, or even go outside for a walk. The doctor wants to do a new fusion called MaXcess TLIF. What are other patients saying about the recovery time for this operation?

MaXcess Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion (TLIF) uses a special retractor system to give the surgeon access to the spine. The surgeon can use a small incision with minimal disruption to the muscle tissue while still being able to see what he or she is doing.

Time in the hospital may be much shorter with MaXcess TLIF (one day compared to three to five with traditional spinal fusion). Physical recovery is about the same (or faster) for the MaXcess TLIF compared to the other methods of TLIF. Patients report being pain free and back on their feet in a few days. It takes about four to six weeks to recover fully.