[Endoscopic microdiskectomy in the treatment of lumbar disk herniation]

The authors present the results of endoscopic microdiskectomy (EMD) after J. Destandau in the treatment of lumbar disk herniation in 172 patients. After surgery, radicular pain regressed in all the patients. During EMD, dural damage with liquorrhea occurred in 4 patients. Spondylodiscitis developed in 2 patients. The mean duration of hospital treatment was 5 days. EMD could decrease the sizes of a skin incision and minimize traumatism of paravertebral soft tissues and nerve structures. It reduced the time of hospital treatment. The results of EMD are comparable with those of microsurgical diskectomy.