Answer to the letter to the editor of Franz Jooji Onishi concerning “A systematic review of anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) versus posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF), transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF), posterolateral lumbar fusion (PLF)” by Rathbone J, et al. (Eur Spine J [2023]: doi: 10.1007/s00586-023-07567-x)