Prone transpsoas lateral interbody fusion with retractor-mounted camera and heads-up display: illustrative case

BACKGROUND The prone transpsoas (PTP) technique involves the performance of a lateral lumbar interbody fusion with the patient prone. One challenge encountered in the early experience with the PTP technique is that with the patient in the prone position rather than the lateral decubitus position, the surgeon is often forced to raise the bed significantly and perform the interbody work in a hunched and seated position with their neck extended and shoulders abducted. The authors report on the use of a sterile retractor-mounted camera during PTP that allows for the surgery to be performed with surgical anatomy visualized on a heads-up display. OBSERVATIONS The PTP procedure is performed without significant modification from standard practice. After the self-retaining retractor is inserted, a sterile retractor-mounted camera can be introduced down one of the blades of the self-retaining retractor, preferably the dorsally situated blade to avoid camera line-of-sight issues with dependent irrigation or bleeding. The surgical field can now be visualized on a high-definition monitor, allowing the surgeon to stand at the patient’s side instead of sitting. LESSONS A sterile retractor-mounted camera with a heads-up display is a novel way to address ergonomic challenges as well as improve educational opportunities in the operating room. https://thejns.org/doi/10.3171/CASE24318