TROPIC: Transfascial Oblique Posterior Interbody Correction: Technical Note.

BACKGROUND Adult spinal deformity (ASD) is a common problem in today's aging adult population, particularly in the thoracolumbar spine. This can lead to severe pain and disability, leading to poorer quality of life. Traditionally, open deformity correction has been the mainstay of treatment for these patients as it provides an excellent operative corridor; however, this comes with severe risk and high complication rates. There has been a trend towards more minimally invasive approaches to correct the deformity while persevering the muscle and soft tissue surrounding the bony spine across the fusion. METHODS We describe a minimally invasive surgical technique through a Wiltse approach without invading the paraspinal musculature to gain access to the bony spine to perform lumbar interbody fusions and osteotomies. RESULTS A total of 3 patients were identified for this technical note who underwent the TROPIC procedure for ASD. The patients had severe coronal and rotational imbalance. We were able to achieve adequate correction through an approach without disturbing the spinal musculature and soft tissues. CONCLUSIONS This technique provides benefits of spinal rotational and coronal plane correction and restores lordosis with current advancements of today's technologies without the downsides of an open surgical approach.