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Updated: Aug 5, 2025
Transtubular Endoscopic Posterolateral Decompression for L5-S1 Lumbar Lateral Disc Herniation
Published on: October 14, 2022
Extraforaminal Full-Endoscopic Approach for the Treatment of Lateral Compressive Diseases of the Lumbar Spine
João Paulo Machado Bergamaschi1,2, Kelsen de Oliveira Teixeira1, Thiago Queiroz Soares1
1Atualli Spine Care Clinic, Sao Paulo 01419-001, SP, Brazil.
Background:
The authors conducted a 2-year retrospective follow-up to investigate the efficiency of an extraforaminal full-endoscopic approach with foraminoplasty used to treat lateral compressive diseases of the lumbar spine in 247 patients.
Methods:
The visual analogue scale (VAS), Oswestry disability index (ODI), and MacNab scale were used to analyze the results collected during the preoperative and postoperative periods.
Results:
The most common diagnosis was disk herniation with lateral recess stenosis, and the most common surgical level among patients was between L4 and L5 on the left side. Pain decreased over time, as determined during sessions held to evaluate pain in the lumbar, gluteal, led, and foot regions. The ODI demonstrated significant enhancement over the evaluation period and the MacNab scale classified the surgery as good or excellent. The most common complication was dysesthesia.
Conclusions:
An extraforaminal full-endoscopic approach with foraminoplasty can be recommended in cases of lateral herniation or stenosis for patients with symptoms of radiculopathy, and for those who have not responded to conventional rehabilitation treatment or chronic pain management. Few complications arose as a result of this approach, and most of them were treated clinically.
