A 63-year-old patient with degenerative spine disease became the first in Western Visayas to undergo a combined eXtreme Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (XALIF) and Anterior-to-Psoas (ATP) spine procedure, expanding the region’s options for treating complex lower-back conditions.
The surgery was performed on September 19, 2026, at the Western Visayas Medical Center (WVMC) in Mandurriao, Iloilo City, by neurosurgeon and spine surgeon Dr. Derek Ben T. Jabines.
The patient was diagnosed with degenerative spine disease affecting the L4–S1 levels and had been experiencing lower back pain and radiculopathy, or nerve-related pain that may extend from the lower back into the leg.
The procedure combined two approaches to address the affected levels. XALIF was performed at L5–S1, while the Anterior-to-Psoas approach was used at L4–L5.
Unlike conventional spine procedures that primarily approach the affected area from the back, the techniques used in the surgery allow surgeons to access the spine through the front or side of the body.
WVMC said the procedure demonstrates the hospital’s capacity to provide advanced surgical treatment for complex spine conditions and gives patients in Western Visayas access to specialized care without having to seek the procedure outside the region.
The surgery was carried out by Jabines and the WVMC Neurosurgery Spine team.IMT
