Minimally Invasive Thoracic Corpectomy: Surgical Strategies for Malignancy, Trauma, and Complex Spinal Pathologies

Table 1

Advantages and limitations of various minimally invasive approaches.

MIS approach	Selected authors	Advantages	Limitations
Anterior (thoracoscopic)	Dickman et al.	Complete decompression of canal	Pleural entry/chest tube
	Mack et al.	Easy graft insertion	Ventral to dorsal working pattern
	Ragel et al.	Anterolateral screw-plate fixation	High complication rates
Anterolateral (retropleural)	Uribe et al.	Complete decompression of canal	Extensive retropleural dissection
	Scheufler et al.	Anterolateral screw-plate fixation	Difficult working angle
	Kasliwal et al.	Extra-coelomic working corridor	High rate of pleural violation
Posterolateral (lateral extracavitary)	Kim et al.	Clear visualization of thecal sac	Significant blood loss/OR time
	Khoo et al.	Anterior stabilization	Unilateral decompression
	Mussachio et al.	Preservation of posterior tension band	Second incision for percutaneous stabilization
Posterior (transpedicular)	Chou et al.	Single incision	Difficult to place interbody graft
	Deutsch et al.	Circumferential decompression	Thecal sac between surgeon and body
		Decreased blood loss/pain	Dorsal to ventral working pattern (aorta, etc.)