Surgical Treatment of Far Lateral Lumbar Disc Herniation: Outcomes of the Safe and Simple Midline Approach

Objective Surgery for far lateral lumbar disc herniation (FLLDH) hernias is different than surgery for median and paramedian disc hernias. Our study offers a minimally invasive surgical technic for far lateral disc herniations. Methods The results of the midline surgical approach in 18 patients diagnosed with FLLDH were evaluated retrospectively. Results A total of 18 patients (7 females, 11 males), with a mean age of 57.9±9.4 years (range: 35-71 years), were included in the analyses. Three patients (16.7%) had lesions at the left L3-L4 level, six patients (33.3%) on the left L4-L5 level, five patients (27.8%) on the right L3-L4 level, and four patients (22.2%) on the right L4-L5 level. All patients had low back and leg pain. These complaints completely regressed after surgery. Conclusion This study presents a review of a consecutive series of patients who underwent minimally invasive surgery for FLLDH using a midline approach.