First laparoscopic ALIF spine surgery performed in Croatia

(Photo credit: KB Dubrava)

ZAGREB, 23 July 2026 – A major advance in spinal surgery has been recorded in Croatia after the first laparoscopic anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) procedure in the country was performed at Zagreb’s Dubrava Clinical Hospital.

The operation was carried out on 16 July 2026. According to the hospital, laparoscopic ALIF remains a relatively rare procedure internationally and is currently performed in only a limited number of highly specialised centres worldwide.

ALIF is used to treat conditions affecting the lower spine, including degenerative disc disease, spinal instability, spondylolisthesis and spinal deformities.

Unlike conventional approaches, the procedure accesses the spine from the front of the body. The damaged disc is removed and replaced with an implant designed to restore stability and enable the vertebrae to fuse.

In the laparoscopic approach, surgeons operate through small incisions in the abdominal wall using a camera. The technique allows direct access to the targeted structures while limiting damage to surrounding tissue. It can also contribute to greater surgical precision, reduced postoperative pain and faster recovery.

The procedure at Dubrava was carried out through cooperation between the hospital’s Clinic of Surgery, led by Associate Professor Mislav Rakić, and the Clinic of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, led by Associate Professor Vida Bilić.

The hospital said such hybrid procedures require a highly specialised clinical environment and represent an advanced form of spinal surgery. While ALIF itself has been performed for many years, the laparoscopic version remains at an early stage of development and is only gradually being introduced at leading medical centres worldwide.

The procedure therefore represents a significant step forward for advanced spinal surgery in Croatia.

Dubrava Clinical Hospital has in recent years continued to introduce minimally invasive and robot-assisted neurosurgical procedures while developing its expertise in advanced spinal surgery.

The hospital said the development is expanding Croatian patients’ access to methods that until recently were available only at a small number of specialised centres internationally.