Maia Gonçalves , orthopaedic and spine surgeon from Hospital da Luz, was one of the guest speakers in another module of the Training and Updating Program in Spine Pathology . Held last January 25, in Fátima, and promoted by the Portuguese Society of Spine Pathology , the course approached, this time, lumbar spondylolisthesis. The Hospital da Luz specialist talked about his experience in TLIF surgery (Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion), a minimally invasive surgical technique that consists in the application of implants (intersomatic cage and pedicle screws), which allow the spine to be stabilized. TLIF surgery allows to treat several spine pathologies, such as spondylolisthesis , situations of herniated discs’ recurrence and spine instability . It requires shorter hospitalization periods and offers the patient a faster return to active life. Maia Gonçalves is an orthopaedist in the units from Hospital da Luz network of Arrábida (Vila Nova de Gaia) and Póvoa de Varzim .
