1 Postoperative multifidus (MF) atrophy and degeneration were evaluated using magnetic resonance imaging.

2 Conclusions. These data resole the controersy that the multifidus cross-sectional area reduces rapidly after lumbar injury.

3 The multifidus muscle in particular is important for dynamic stability of the spine (see Appendix).

4 Conclusion:Multifidus muscle can be effectively protected by reducing extent of muscle detachment and reconstructing posterior bone-ligament complex.

5 The nerve supply to the multifidus is monosegmental, making it especially vulnerable to injury22,23.

6 The multifidus muscle is a powerful spine stabilizer as it has short and powerful fibers that enable it to produce large forces over short distances.

7 Tsutsumimoto et al. used MRI to assess the multifidus muscle in patients treated with a posterior lumbar interbody fusion21.

8 Dissection is performed through the intermuscular plane between the multifidus and longissimus muscles.

9 The deep cervical artery and vein went between the semispinalis muscle and multifidus.

10 They recommended that pedicle screw insertion at the cephalad level be performed percutaneously if one desires to minimize denervation of the multifidus complex at the cephalad adjacent level.

11 The rationale for minimally invasive pedicle screw insertion into the spine, which can be performed percutaneously or via a paramedian mini-open technique,[] is to preserve multifidus muscle function.

12 Objective To observe the association between the surgical trauma of multifidus and its histomorphology after the posterior lumbar surgery.