ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the clinical effects of percataneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy for lumbar intervertebral disc protrusion.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The clinical data of 46 patients with lumbar intervertebral disc protrusion underwent percataneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy were retrospectively analyzed. There were 21 males and 25 females, aged from 23 to 65 years old with an average of 42 years. The course of disease was from 5 to 87 months with an average of 13.4 months. Protrusion located in L₂,₃ of 2 cases, L₃,₄ of 3 cases, L₄,₅ of 28 cases, L₅S₁ of 13 cases. There were 5 patients with central type, 34 with para-side type, 7 with extreme lateral type. VAS, ODI and JOA scores were used to analyze the condition of pain releasing and lumbar functional improvement. According to MacNab standard to evaluate the clinical effect at final follow-up.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>All the operations were successful, operative time was 125 to 210 min with a mean of 153.6 min; and all the patients were follow-up for 6 to 12 months with an average of 8 months; no injuries of nerve and blood vessel, infection were found. Postoperative 3 days and final follow-up, VAS score was 3.1±0.7, 2.2±0.6 respectively, and was obviously lower than preoperative 7.3±1.2(<0.05). At final follow-up, JOA and ODI were (23.5±2.4) points, and (22.10±9.26)%, respectively, and was obviously improved compared with preoperative (13.2±2.8) points and (69.12±13.15)% (<0.05). According to modified MacNab standard to evaluate the clinical outcome, 30 cases got excellent results, 14 good, 2 fair, no recurred and overhauling were found.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Percataneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy is a minimally invasive technique, with advantage of safety and effectiveness, and apply to treatment of lumbar intervertebral disc protrusion.</p>