Open versus minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS TLIF)—a narrative review

Transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) is a widely used surgical technique for lumbar degenerative pathologies. Minimally invasive TLIF (MIS TLIF) was developed to reduce soft tissue trauma and perioperative morbidity associated with open TLIF. As MIS techniques evolve with the integration of navigation and robotics, questions remain regarding differences in outcomes, complications, and long-term durability. This review aims to compare open versus MIS TLIF across surgical, clinical, radiological, and cost-related domains, highlighting the latest high-quality evidence.