Endoscopic Surgery for Lumbar Disc Disease: Our Experience in 136 Cases
Abstract
Introduction: Endoscopic spine surgery has grown exponentially worldwide in recent years and is mainly used for the treatment of disc herniation and spinal stenosis. Few studies addressing this technique have been published in our country; therefore, we considered it relevant to report our experience. Materials and Methods: A retrospective evaluation was conducted of patients who underwent endoscopic discectomy between December 2022 and December 2024, with a minimum follow-up of four months. The following variables were analyzed: sex, age, affected level and side, surgical approach, pre- and postoperative Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores, presence or absence of neurological deficit, use of a surgical drill, operative time, complications, and disc recurrence. Results: A total of 136 patients were evaluated (mean age: 47 years), with a mean follow-up of 11.8 months. Radicular and lumbar VAS scores showed significant improvement at 30 days after surgery (p < 0.001). Seven cases of disc recurrence were recorded, along with one dural tear, two transient neurological deficits, and one postoperative hematoma. Conclusions: Endoscopic discectomy is a safe technique that achieves clinical outcomes comparable to those of traditional surgical approaches, with less tissue aggression and a low complication rate. Our results are consistent with those reported in the literature.Downloads
References
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