PLIF PEEK Cages and Instrumentation: A Practical Guide to Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion

Author : shanbei shi | Published On : 19 Oct 2026

PLIF remains reliable for degenerative lumbar disease, but outcomes depend on disc preparation and cage seating. With a narrow corridor, every instrument exchange counts.

Why PEEK stays central

PEEK cages have an elastic modulus close to bone, limiting stress shielding, and their radiolucency keeps CT and MRI readable. The cage must still sit at the right height, footprint and lordosis after endplate prep that avoids subchondral bone.

The sequence that decides success

After bilateral discectomy, a curette and nerve dissector clear residual disc. Distraction is progressive, trials confirm height and endplate contact, reamers prepare the bed, and the packed cage goes in on a locking holder. Each step needs a matching instrument; improvised tooling adds fluoroscopy, time and subsidence risk.

Inside a complete set

A good tray covers the workflow in one sterilizable case: trials, reamers, graft inserter, hammer, distractor, curette, nerve dissector, cage holders and implant box, cutting trays per case. Teams comparing suppliers can start with a proven T-PAL Peek Cage Instrument Set from AOYE, which brings the whole sequence into one modular tray.

For hospitals and distributors

Set completeness often decides tenders. Hospitals value trays validated for cleaning; distributors value OEM labelling, low MOQs and training. A factory-direct partner certified to ISO 13485 and CE, such as AOYE, lets partners localise the set without losing traceability.

Conclusion

Repeatable preparation and precise placement decide results; a complete platform keeps cases from stalling for a missing part.