Full-Endoscopic Midline Foraminoplasty: An Alternative Method for Treating Lumbar Foraminal Stenosis

Area of Science:

• Minimally invasive spine surgery
• Spinal decompression techniques
• Lumbar spine pathology

Background:

• Lumbar foraminal and lateral recess stenosis cause significant pain and disability.
• Traditional surgical approaches may involve larger incisions and longer recovery times.
• There is a need for effective, minimally invasive decompression techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the full-endoscopic lumbar foraminoplasty with midline skin incision (FEFM) procedure.
• To evaluate the clinical outcomes of FEFM for lumbar foraminal and/or lateral recess stenosis.
• To report complications and recurrence rates at 1-year follow-up.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of consecutive patients undergoing FEFM.
• Evaluation of visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores.
• Recording of operative time, hospital stay, complications, and recurrence.

Main Results:

• 30 cases (51 levels) were analyzed, with a focus on L4-5 and L5-S1 levels.
• Significant reductions in VAS (9.16 to 1.43) and ODI (46.63 to 10.46) scores were observed (p<0.05).
• Mean operation time was 88.7 minutes, with a 1.21-day hospital stay; no immediate complications or recurrences were reported.

Conclusions:

• FEFM is an effective treatment for lumbar foraminal and/or lateral recess stenosis.
• The procedure allows for bilateral decompression through a single incision.
• FEFM offers a safe and efficient option with excellent short-term outcomes.