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Updated: Dec 27, 2025
A Mobile Outside-in Technique of Transforaminal Lumbar Endoscopy for Lumbar Disc Herniations
Published on: August 7, 2018
Percutaneous Endoscopic Lumbar Discectomy Versus Microdiscectomy for the Treatment of Lumbar Disc Herniation: Pain,
Guilherme Meyer1,2, Ivan Dias DA Rocha1, Alexandre Fogaça Cristante1
1Spine Surgery Division, Instituto de Ortopedia e Traumatologia da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, FMUSP, São Paulo, Brazil.
Purpose:
The objective was to compare the traditional microdiscectomy with percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy for the treatment of disc herniations regarding pain, disability, and complications.
Methods:
Randomized clinical trial with 47 patients with disc herniations treated with 2 different surgical techniques: traditional microdiscectomy or percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy. Forty-seven patients were divided into 2 groups and monitored for 12 months. Irradiated and low back pain were evaluated with the visual analog scale. Surgery complications were recorded.
Results:
After surgery, the sciatica and disability improved significantly but without significant differences between the groups. Improvements in back pain were significant until the third month. There were no statistical differences between groups regarding recurrence, infection, and the need for reoperation.
Conclusions:
Endoscopic discectomy results are similar to those of conventional microdiscectomy regarding pain and disability improvement. Postoperative lumbar pain is less intense with endoscopic discectomy than conventional microdiscectomy only during the first 3 months. Endoscopic discectomy is a safe and efficient alternative to microdiscectomy.
Clinical Trials:
Trial protocol registration number: RBR-5symrd (http://www.ensaiosclinicos.gov.br).
