A network meta-analysis of different surgical methods in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND: At present, there are many surgical methods for the treatment of lumbar disc herniation, and the therapeutic effects have their own advantages. Although there are many meta-analyses to compare the therapeutic effects of the two surgical methods, there is no comparison of the therapeutic effects of several surgical methods. OBJECTIVE: To compare the differences of different surgical methods in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation by network meta-analysis. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Ovid and CNKI were searched, and randomized controlled trials or retrospective studies on different surgical methods for the treatment of lumbar disc herniation were collected. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria established in advance, the quality of included randomized controlled trials was evaluated, and the data were analyzed by STATA 15.0 software. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: A total of 42 studies, 5 156 patients and 9 surgical treatments were included. Surgical treatments contain total disc replacement, lumbar disc fusion, standard open discectomy, microendoscopic discectomy, microdiscectomy, percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy, chemonucleolysis, automatic percutaneous lumbar discectomy and percutaneous laser disc decompression. The results of network meta-analysis showed that(from best to worst):(1) There was no significant difference in leg pain relief, and the rank probability was percutaneous laser disc decompression > microendoscopic discectomy > percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy > standard open discectomy > microdiscectomy > lumbar disc fusion > total disc replacement.(2) There was no significant difference in low back pain relief, and the rank probability was total disc replacement > lumbar disc fusion > microendoscopic discectomy > percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy > microdiscectomy > percutaneous laser disc decompression > standard open discectomy.(3) There was no significant difference in Oswestry disability index scores, and the rank probability was microendoscopic discectomy > percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy > standard open discectomy > microdiscectomy > total disc replacement > lumbar disc fusion.(4) There were some statistical differences in the success rate, and the rank probability was total disc replacement > lumbar disc fusion > microendoscopic discectomy > percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy > standard open discectomy > percutaneous laser disc decompression > microdiscectomy > chemonucleolysis > automatic percutaneous lumbar discectomy.(5) There was no significant difference in reoperation rate, and the rank probability was total disc replacement > lumbar disc fusion > microdiscectomy > microendoscopic discectomy > standard open discectomy > percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy > percutaneous laser disc decompression > chemonucleolysis > automatic percutaneous lumbar discectomy.(6) There were some statistical differences in incidence of complications, and the rank probability was percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy > automatic percutaneous lumbar discectomy > standard open discectomy > microdiscectomy > percutaneous laser disc decompression > microendoscopic discectomy > total disc replacement > lumbar disc fusion > chemonucleolysis. Results suggested that microendoscopic discectomy and percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy are effective in all aspects. Disc replacement and lumbar disc fusion are the best in success rate of operation. Chemonucleolysis is poor in success rate of operation, reoperation rate and complications rate. Percutaneous automatic discectomy is poor in success rate of operation and reoperation rate.

Comparison of the short-term curative effect of visualization of percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy and microendoscopic discectomy in the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis / 中国脊柱脊髓杂志

Objectives:To compare the early curative effect of visualization of percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy(VPTED) and microendoscopic discectomy (MED) in the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis.Methods:49 patients with single segmental lumbar spinal stenosis combined with lumbar disc herniation(LDH) were treated in our hospital from March 2016 to March 2017.Among them,21 cases accepted VPTED,and 28 cases underwent MED.The length of incision,amount of bleeding during operation,operation time,length of hospital stay and the cost of hospitalization were recorded in the both groups.Visual analogue scale(VAS) was used to evaluate the effect of surgery,Oswestry disability index(ODI) was used to evaluate the clinical efficacy.The modified MacNab criteria were used to evaluate the efficacy of the patients at final follow-up.Results:There were no statistical differences among the age,the ratio of male to female,follow-up time,low back pain,weakness,sensory disturbance,general reflexes and prominent segments(P＞0.05).There were statistically significant differences between the two groups in preoperative and postoperative VAS and ODI scores(P＜0.05).There was no significant difference in VAS or ODI score between groups at the same time (P＞0.05).The length of incision(0.78±0.06cm vs 1.95±0.12cm),the amount of intraoperative perspective(15.86± 2.66 vs 2.18±0.38) and the operation time(87.51±30.46min vs 47.53±13.61min) had significant difference between VPTED and MED group(P＜0.05).There was no significant difference in hospitalization time or hospitalization expenses between the two groups(P＞0.05).At final follow-up,based on the MacNab standard,it was excellent in 17 cases,good in 3 cases,fair in 1 case in VPTED group;it was excellent in 22 cases,good in 4 cases,fair in 2 cases in MED group.Excellent rate of the VPTED group was 95.24％,and that was 92.86％ in the MED group,there was no significant difference between the two groups(P＞0.05).Conclusions:Visualization of percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy (VPTED) and microendoscopic discectomy (MED) in the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis have good short-term curative effect,it iproves that VPTED is a safe and effective minimally invasive surgery.

Percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy versus microendoscopic discectomy for lumbar disc herniation: a Meta-analysis / 中国内镜杂志

Objective To compare the curative effect of percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD) and microendoscopic discectomy (MED) in lumbar disc herniation.Methods A literature search was performed in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Wanfang, CNKI. Two authors reviewed all articles individually. The methodological quality of RCTs was assessed by the Cochrane risk of bias tool, and the quality of retrospective studies was evaluated by the modified Newcastle-Ottawa scale. The data was extracted by the Review Manager 5.30.Results A total of 19 articles were brought into this Meta-analysis. The outcomes were divided into primary outcomes and secondary outcomes. Excerpt for the short-term VAS score was lower in PELD group (P = 0.010), other index, including long-term VAS score (P = 0.120), ODI score (P = 0.260), complication (P = 0.100) and recurrence (P = 0.100), didn't had significant difference in two groups. The blood loss (P = 0.000), hospital stay (P = 0.000) and the length of incision (P = 0.000) were all superiority in PELD group. Whereas the operative time was shorter in MED group (P = 0.001).Conclusion PELD was a more minimally invasive and secure technique in lumbar disc herniation.

The design and clinical application of cervical canal enlargement preserving posterior ligament composite with mobile microendoscopic discectomy technique / 天津医药

Objective To provide a minimally invasive surgical treatment using mobile microendoscopy (mobile MED) for limited cervical spine canal stenosis. Methods Eleven patients were collected from February 2015 to February 2016 in Tianjin Hospital, including 6 males and 5 females, aged 51- 77 years, mean (67.4 ± 7.6) years. Clinical treatment was performed on 11 patients of limited cervical spinal stenosis. The levels of stenosis included C3-5 in 5 cases, C4-6 in 4 cases, C5-7 in 2 cases. The working channel of mobile MED (MMED) can be tilted according to the need of operation. The design of surgical methods:the levels of stenosis were located with fluroscopy, through a posterior median 2.5 cm incision, the nachal ligaments was separated and the spinous process was reached. After a little dissection of paraspinal mascle, the working canal was inserted along the spinous process, and the target lamina was exposed. With MMED, the partial laminectomy was performed along the junction groove of lamina and articular process with high-speed burr, and flavum was exposed and resected with ultra-thin Kerisson, and the dural sac was well exposed. Then the working canal was inserted on the contralateral side along the spinous process, and the decompression was performed with the same method. After bilateral direct decompression, the spinous process and posterior ligament complex shift posteriorly with enlargement of spinal canal. The operation time and blood loss were recorded and the efficacy was followed-up. Results There was no serious complications such as neurological injury. The operation time ranged 80-120 min, with an average of (100 ± 18) min. The intraoperative blood loss ranged (50-120) mL, with an average of (80 ± 20) mL. Postoperative CT showed sufficient decompression and enlargement of the canal with the posterior shift of the spinous process and posterior ligament complex. The patients were followed up for 6-18 months. The alignment of cervical spine was well preserved on X-ray. The ODI decreased from 42.2 ± 16.3 preoperatively to 6.2 ± 4.3. The JOA score improved from 8.2 ± 3.3 preoperatively to 15.1 ± 4.2 at the last follow-up. According to the improvement rate [(JOA-preoperative JOA)/(17-preoperative JOA)], the results were excellent in 5 cases, good in 5 cases, and effective in 1 case. Conclusion The cervical canal enlargement with mobile microendoscopic discectomy technique preserving posterior ligament composite provides a minimally invasive procedure for limited cervical stenosis with adequate decompression.

Efficacy assessment of percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy in treatment of far lateral lumbar disc herniation / 中国内镜杂志

Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD) on treatment of far lateral lumbar disc herniation (FLDH). Methods We retrospectively analyzed 27 patients with FLDH underwent percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy from June 2014 to September 2015, age from 41 to 64, average 52.3. The average operation time, intraoperative blood loss and length of hospital stay were collected. The lumbocrural pain perception of patients before and after surgery was assessed by visual analog scale (VAS) and postoperative lumbar functional recovery after surgery by modified MacNab criteria. Results Average operation time was 69 min (58~109 min), intraoperative blood loss was 18 ml (11~40 ml), and length of stay was 5.0 d (3.0 ~ 10.0 d). VAS score from (8.12 ± 1.25) preoperatively improved to (2.80 ± 1.12) at the 3rd d after operation, (1.59 ± 1.06) at 3 months after operation, and (1.31 ± 0.89) at the last follow-up after operation; There was a statistical difference between preoperative scores and postoperative scores (P < 0.05). Modified MacNab criteria was a ratio of 88.9%. Conclusions PELD on the treatment of far lateral lumbar disc herniation have small area of trauma, faster postoperative recovering and several other advantages,which is a safe and effective minimally invasive surgery.

Therapeutic effect and safety of microendoscopic discectomy versus conventional open discectomy for the treatment of lumbar disc herniation: a Meta analysis / 中国骨伤

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To conduct a meta analysis of studies comparing theapeutic effect and safety of microendoscopic discectomy to conventional open discectomy in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation in China.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A systematic literature retrieval was conducted in the Chinese Bio medicine Database, CNKI database, Chongqin VIP database and Wangfang database. The statistical analysis was performed using a RevMan 4.2 software. The comparison included excellent rate, operation times, blood loss, periods of bed rest and resuming daily activities, hospital stay or hospital stay after surgery, and complications of microendoscopic discectomy versus conventional open discectomy.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The search yielded 20 reports, which included 2 957 cases treated by microendoscopic discectomy and 2 130 cases treated by conventional open discectomy. There were 12, 11, 7, 5, 4 and 4 reports which had comparison of operation times, blood loss, period of bed rest, periods of resuming daily activities, hospital stay and hospital stay after surgery respectively. Complications were mentioned in 10 reports. Compared to patients treated by open discectomy, patients treated by microendoscopic discectomy had a higher excellent rates [OR=1.29, 95%CI (1.03, 1.62)], less blood loss[OR=-63.67, 95%CI (-86.78, -40.55)], less period of bed rest[OR=-15.33, 95%CI (-17.76, -12.90)], less period of resumption of daily activities [OR=-24.41, 95%CI (-36.86, -11.96)], less hospital stay [OR=-5.00, 95%CI (-6.94, -3.06)] or hospital stay after surgery [OR=-7.47, 95%CI (-9.17, -5.77) respectively. However, incidence of complications and operation times were proved no significant different between microendoscopic discectomy and open discectomy.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Microendoscopic discectomy and conventional open discectomy in treatment of lumbar disc herniation are both safe, effective; incidence of complications are nearly. Patients with lumbar disc herniation treated by microendoscopic discectomy have fewer blood loss, shorter periods of bed rest and hospital stay, and resume daily activities faster. Techniques are selected according to indications, microendoscopic discectomy should be carried out when conjunct indications occur.</p>

Comparison of Clinical Efficacy between Microendoscopic Discectomy and Open Discectomy in the Treatment of Patients with Lumber Intervertebral Disc Herniation / 昆明医科大学学报

Objective To compare clinical efficacy between microendoscopic discectomy (MED) and open discectomy (OD) in the treatment of patients with lumber intervertebral disc herniation (LIDH).Methods 116 cases of LIDH who were given surgical treatment were selected as research subjects to retrospectively analyze their clinical data.Then,these cases were divided into MED group (n=54) and OD group (n=62) according to operation type.The curative efficacy,operation situation and incidence of complications were compared.Results All patients' operations were successful.After the one-year follow-up,the MED group had an excellent and good rate of 96.3％,which was statistically same with that of 93.5％ in the OD group (P ＞0.05) In comparison with the OD group,MED group had a statistically shorter operation time,less bleeding volume in the operation,shorter length of incision and shorter rest time on bed after operation (all P＜0.05).After operation,there's no case of severe complication,and the incidence of complications between the two groups was statistically same (P＞0.05) Conclusions MED and OD are both effective operations for LIDH,which have high excellent and good rate.But in comparison with OD,MED has advantages of less damage and faster recovery.

The design and clinical application of MED-TLIF with mobile microendoscopic discectomy technique / 天津医药

Objective To evaluate the feasibility and clinical efficacy of microendoscopic discectomy-transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MED-TLIF) with mobile microendoscopic discectomy (MMED) technique. Methods The MMED includes outer working canal and inner operating canal. Large working canals and endoscopic chisel were fabricated for MMED-TLIF,which was designed as follow:the pedicles and index level were located with fluoroscopy, and a 2.5 cm incision was made between pedicle punctures sites on the symptomatic side. Working canal was inserted, and the facet was exposed,the inferior articular process and medial part of superior articular process were resected. The disc and cartilage endplates were curettage, and the intervertebral space was released and tested. The inner operating canal was removed and the interbody space was grafted and supported with suitable cage. Percutaneous pedicles screws were inserted and the residual displacement was evaluated under fluoroscopy, followed by the install of connecting rods for reduction and fixation. Fifty-six patients with lumbar stenosis including 32 cases of instability and spondylolisthesis (1 degree in 15 cases and 2 degree in 9 cases) were treated with this technique. The ODI index and VAS score were compared in patients before and after surgery. The efficacy was evaluated by Macnab standard. Results Surgery was successful in all patients, with no nerve injury or conversion to open surgery. The mean operative time was (120±30) min (range, 90–180 min),with a mean blood loss of (120±50) mL (range,50–200 mL). The post-operative X-ray and CT scans showed improvement of spinal alignment with mean reduction ratio of 72%. Patients were followed up for 6 to 36 months. The ODI score decreased from 50.1±11.2 to 5.8±5.6. The VAS score of lumbar decreased from 7.1±4.2 to 1.2±1.0 and VAS score of leg decreased from 4.1±2.5 to 1.1±0.9 at final follow-up. The clinical results were excellent in 36 cases,good in 20 according to the Macnab scale. Conclusion MED-TLIF can easily perform with MMED technique,with sufficient decompression and reduction, and providing satisfactory results with less invasive procedure.

Repeated microendoscopic discectomy for recurrent lumbar disk herniation

OBJECTIVES: To explore the microendoscopic discectomy technique and inclusion criteria for the treatment of recurrent lumbar disc herniation and to supply feasible criteria and technical notes to avoid complications and to increase the therapeutic effect. METHODS: A consecutive series of 25 patients who underwent posterior microendoscopic discectomy for recurrent lumbar disc herniation were included. The inclusion criteria were as follows: no severe pain in the lumbar region, no lumbar instability observed by flexion-extension radiography and no intervertebral discitis or endplate damage observed by magnetic resonance imaging. All patients were diagnosed by clinical manifestations and imaging examinations. RESULTS: Follow-up visits were carried out in all cases. Complications, such as nerve injuries, were not observed. The follow-up outcomes were graded using the MacNab criteria. A grade of excellent was given to 12 patients, good to 12 patients and fair to 1 patient. A grade of excellent or good occurred in 96% of cases. One patient relapsed 3 months after surgery and then underwent lumbar interbody fusion and inner fixation. The numerical rating scale of preoperative leg pain was 7.4± 1.5, whereas it decreased to 2.1±0.8 at 7 days after surgery. The preoperative Oswestry disability index of lumbar function was 57.5±10.0, whereas it was 26.0±8.5 at 7 days after surgery. CONCLUSION: In these cases, microendoscopic discectomy was able to achieve satisfactory clinical results. Furthermore, it has advantages over other methods because of its smaller incision, reduced bleeding and more efficient recovery. .

Microendoscopic Discectomy (MED) for Lumbar Disc Herniation / 한양의대학술지

Lumbar disc herniation is one of the most common disorders and its current surgical standard is a microsurgical discectomy. The microendoscopic discectomy (MED) was initially developed in 1997 by Foley and Smith and it is a minimally invasive surgical technique. This article discusses the technique, outcome and complications of this procedure. MED is performed by a muscle splitting approach using a series of tubular dilators with consecutively increasing diameters. The original endoscopic procedure is modified with microscope which has led to the development of the Microscopic Endoscopic Tubular Retractor System (METRX, Medtronic Sofamor Danek, Memphis, TN). A tubular retractor is inserted over the final dilator, and then the microscope is placed inside the tubular retractor instead of the endoscope. And then microdiscectomy is performed in the usual fashion via tubular retractor. Clinical outcomes by modified MacNab criteria were revealed excellent to good results in up to 95% of the patients. Average return to work period was within 1 month. Complications included nerve root injury, dural tear, and recurrent disc herniations. MED is at least as effective as microdiscectomy for the treatment of lumbar disc herniations with regard to long-term outcomes. MED can be performed safely and effectively with a smaller incision, resulting in a shortened hospital stay and faster return to work.

Lumbar Discectomy Using Tubular Retractor and Microendoscopy / 대한척추외과학회지

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study OBJECTIVES: To compare the surgical results of microendoscopic discectomy using a tubular retractor with those of a conventional discectomy for lumbar herniated nucleus pulposus. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: Minimally invasive approaches to the lumbar spine have been attempted with success over the past 25 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study examined 36 cases who underwent lumbar discectomy using a tubular retractor and microendoscopy (Group A) and 30 cases who underwent a conventional discectomy (Group B). The operating time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative hospital stay were recorded. The clinical results were assessed using the Korea Version Oswestry Disability Index (KODI), and the radiological results were evaluated from changes in disc height. RESULTS: The patients in Group A had a longer operation time(mean, 95.56+/-23.57 minutes vs 81.17+/-35.30 minutes, p=0.062), less intraoperative blood loss (mean, 58.61+/-97.08 cc vs 161.00+/-88.64 cc, p=0.001) and a shorter hospitalization stay (mean, 8.22 +/-4.99 days vs 17.33+/-10.98 days, p=0.001) than group B. There was significant improvement in the mean KODI score for Group A; 6.36+/-7.18 and Group B; 5.97+/-5.14. However, there was no significant difference in the pain improvement (mean, 1.14 +/-1.15 vs 1.30+/-1.06, p=0.559) and walking index (mean, 0.25+/-0.44 vs 0.30+/-0.47, p=0.656). In terms of social life, Group A had better results (mean, 0.20+/-0.48 vs 0.67+/-1.01, p=0.018). The disc height according to radiography decreased from 8.44+/-1.98 mm to 7.40+/-1.59 mm in Group A and 9.07+/-1.93 mm to 7.67+/-1.90 mm in Group B, but there were no statistical differences in the changes in disc height between the two groups (p=0.143). CONCLUSION: Microendoscopic discectomy is an effective procedure with good outcomes in treating lumbar disc herniation that allows less tissue trauma, compared with conventional open discectomy.

The Immediately Postoperative Changes of Creatine Phosphokinase After Microendoscopic Discectomy / 대한척추외과학회지

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective study OBJECTIVES: To evaluate postoperative muscle damage after microendoscopic discectomy (MED) and open discectomy (OD), using analysis of serum creatine phosphokinase (CPK) levels. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: Paravertebral muscle damage after retraction during posterior lumbar surgery can cause postoperative back pain. Serum CPK level is elevated in these patients and may indicate postoperative muscle damage. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We examined 35 cases with MED (group 1) and 11 cases with OD (group 2). Serum CPK levels were checked preoperatively and postoperatively at day 1 and day 3. We analyzed intra-group and inter-group differences in CPK levels according to sex, age, and operation time. Surgical outcomes were evaluated with a visual analog scale (VAS) preoperatively and 1 year postoperatively. RESULTS: CPK levels at postoperative 1 day were increased significantly and decreased significantly at postoperative 3 day in both groups (p<0.05), with levels in group 1 significantly lower than in group 2 (p<0.05). There were no differences in CPK levels according to sex, age, or operation time, except between the 3rd and 5th decades of age at postoperative 1 day in group 2. VAS was significantly different in intra-group analysis (p<0.05) with no significant differences in intergroup analysis. CONCLUSIONS: MED induced a lower increase in serum CPK than OD with similar VAS outcomes. MED results in less postoperative muscle damage than OD, with similar surgical outcomes.

Clinical Applications of the Tubular Retractor on Spinal Disorders

Tubular retractor system as a minimally invasive surgery (MIS) technique has many advantages over other conventional MIS techniques. It offers direct visualization of the operative field, anatomical familiarity to spine surgeons, and minimizing tissue trauma. With technical advancement, many spinal pathologies are being treated using this system. Namely, herniated discs, lumbar and cervical stenosis, synovial cysts, lumbar instability, trauma, and even some intraspinal tumors have all been treated through tubular retractor system. Flexible arm and easy change of the tube direction are particularly useful in contralateral spinal decompression from an ipsilateral approach. Careful attention to surgical technique through narrow space will ensure that complications are minimized and will provide improved outcomes. However, understanding detailed anatomies and keeping precise surgical orientation are essential for this technique. Authors present the technical feasibility and initial results of use a tubular retractor system as a minimally invasive technique for variaties of spinal disorders with a review of literature.

Operative management for the recurrent lumbar disc herniation by microendoscopy discectomy technique / 中国矫形外科杂志

[Objective]To investigate the surgical feasibility and efficiency with microendoscopy discectomy technique for the recurrent lumbar disc herniation.[Method]Ninteen cases underwent disc excision with different operative approaches,11 cases had undergone previous surgery with MED,7 cases with conventional approach,2 cases removing whole vertebrate plate approach,3 cases removing half vertebrate plate approach,2 cases with minor vertebrate plate window approach.There were 13 cases of ipsilateral protrusion and 2 cases of contralateral protrusion,3 cases of adjacent segment protrusion.All of these cases were revisioned by MED except for 1 case.[Result]Eighteen cases were finished by MED technique successfully except for 1 case which was changed to open operating.All cases were followed up from 6 months to 2.5 years,averaged 1.5 years.Postoperative JOA score was improved from preoperative average (9.61?3.40)? to average (26.17?2.60) ?,the rate of improvement final was 86.32%.In terms of Macnab scoring system,the satisfactory rate was 88.89%.[Conclusion]MED technique is an effective method for recurrent lumbar herniation,but the operator needs lots of experience in minimal invasive spine surgery.

Curative effects of microendoscopic discectomy for lumbar disc herniation / 中国微创外科杂志

Objective To analyze clinical effects of microendoscopic discectomy in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation with or without lumbar spinal stenosis.Methods A total of 216 patients were included in the study.The patient was maintained in the prone position on an arch-like bed.Under C-arm fluoroscopic guidance,a thin pin was inserted down to the facet of the target level.A longitudinal incision was made approximately 1.7 cm at the level of the disease to introduce a series of dilators,over which a working channel was then established.Once extraneous soft tissues were removed,a curette was used to puncture the ligamentum flavum.And the local ligamentum flavum and part of inferior border of the adjacent lamina were removed with a gun-shaped rongeur.The disc space was incised and a discectomy was performed.The lateral recess was cleared of any bone stenosis.Results conversions to open traditional discectomy were conducted in 2 patients because of bleeding.The 216 patients were followed for 3 months ~ 4 years with an average of 2.5 years.According to the Nakai criteria,excellent outcomes were achieved in 210 patients,good in 2 patients,fair in 1,and poor in 3,the rate of excellent or good outcomes being 98.1%(212/216).Of the 3 patients with poor outcomes,2 patients were given a re-operation of traditional surgery 3 months after the microendoscopic discectomy and 1 patient had a missed diagnosis of spinal tuberculosis.Conclusions Microendoscopic discectomy in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation gives little influence to spinal stability and satisfactory clinical effects.

Use of myelography in microendoscopic discectomy / 中国微创外科杂志

Objective To investigate the significance of myelography for selecting operation methods in microendoscopic discectomy(MED).Methods A total of 196 patients with lumbar disc herniation diagnosed by CT/MRI received a myelography before MED.According to their clinical manifestations,signs,and outcomes of myelography,the patients were given three different operation methods.①Simple discectomy was performed in 105 patients with patent spinal canal,lateral impression at intervertebral level,and shift of the nerve root sleeve;②Discectomy with spinal decompression was performed in 70 patients with patent spinal canal and compression of the nerve root sleeve;③Discectomy with semilaminectomy was performed in 21 patients with patent spinal canal,semispherical compression of the nerve root sleeve,and 7-shaped nerve root.Results The operation time was 30~90 min(mean,50 min) and the intraoperative blood loss was 30~120 ml(mean,50 ml).No intraoperative complications occurred.Conversions to open surgery were required in 21 patients,including partial spinal stenosis in 16 patients and thickened vertebral plate in 5 patients.Follow-ups were carried out in 196 patients for 3~58 months(mean,34 months).According to the Japanese Orthopedic Association(JOA) scoring system,the final scores significantly increased postoperatively(25.86?2.96) than preoperatively(13.21?4.96)((t=)38.24,P=0.00).According to the Macnab and Watts standard,the rate of excellent or good results was 93.7%(164/175).Conclusions Myelography has an important reference value for selecting operation methods of microendoscopic discectomy in patients with lumbar disc herniation.

Comparison of Spinal Bone Removal Scale with MED and IFAD and Their Postoperative Effects on Lumbar Degeneration / 中国微创外科杂志

Objective To compare the scale of the spinal bones removed by microendoscopic discectomy (MED) and interlaminal fenestration approach discectomy (IFAD),and their postoperative influence on the lumber degeneration in patients with lumber disc herniation.Methods Totally 76 cases of MED and 80 cases of IFAD were enrolled in this study.The scale of the spinal bones resected were compared by measuring the width and height of the bone window,as well as the percentages of the removed superior and inferior articular processes by using X-ray.To compare the efficacy of the two procedures,Nakai criteria was employed. The height and angle of intervertebral space and intervertebral displacement were detected preoperation,and then were followed up after the surgery.Results Both the width and height of the bone window and the percentages of the removed superior and inferior articular processes of the MED group was significantly less than those in the IFAD group (P=0.000);whereas,no marked difference was found in the scale of disc removal between the two group[(1.75?0.58) g vs (1.95?0.77)g,t=-1.825,P=0.070].The outcomes of the two group was similar,the rate of excellent and good outcomes of the MED and IFAD groups were 86.8% and 88.8%, respectively (Z=-0.184,P=0.854).In the MED group,the intervertebral space was reduced by 30%?18%,which were similar to that in the IFAD group 34%?15%(t=-1.246,P=0.215);3 cases of the MED group and 5 of the IFAD group had intervertebral instability after the surgery (x~2=0.425,P=0.515).Conclusions Both MED and IFAD are effective for lumbar disc herniation.However,MED shoud be the first choice for the disease,because the procedure causes less trauma.

Microendoscopic discectomy for lumbar intervertebral disc herniation / 医学研究生学报

Objective:To investigate the operation technique and the effect of the posterior microendoscopic discectomy (MED) system on lumbar intervertebral disc hermiation (LIDH). Methods: We retrospectively reviewed and analyzed 25 cases of LVDH treated with the MED system from March 2004 to August 2005. Results: All the patients were ambulant 20 hours to 7 days (mean 2.4 days) after the operation, with a mean hospital stay of 5.2 days. And all were healed within the first stage except 1 case of infection. The patients were followed for 2-15 months (mean 6 months). Excellent results were achieved in 18 cases, good results in 5 and fairly good results in 2, the first two groups making up 92%. Conclusion: The key to successful MED with no complications is familiarity with the equipment, proper choice of indication, exact surgical location and skilful operation.

Percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy versus microendoscopic discectomy for lumbar disc herniation:a prospective randomized controlled study / 第三军医大学学报

0.05). VAS and ODI were significantly improved in the 2 groups compared with those before operation (P

Treatment of 104 cases of lumbar disc herniation by microendoscopic discectomy / 中国微创外科杂志

Objective To summarize countermeasures on common problems of microendoscopic discectomy(MED). Methods Microendoscopic discectomy was performed in 104 cases of lumbar disc herniation by using the MED system(Sofamor Danek Group,USA).Frequently encountered problems during the operation were reviewed and summarized. Results Conversions to open surgery were required in 4 out of 104 cases due to bleeding or adherence.Among the rest of 100 cases,dural injury occurred in 3 cases,with 1 case accompanying leakage of cerebrospinal fluid.Of the 100 cases(115 intervertebral spaces),the average operation time was 50 min(range,30~90 min) and the average hemorrhage amount was 80 ml(range,20~400 ml) for each intervertebral space.The 100 cases were followed for 3~32 months(average,18 months).According to the Macnab criteria,the curative effects were classified as excellent in 65 cases,good in 29 cases,and fair in 6,the rate of excellent or good effects being 94.0%(94/100). Conclusions The most frequent problems during MED are bleeding and prolonged excision of the ligamenta flava.Strict adherence to technique,acquaintance with the weakness of the ligamenta flava,and familiarity with anatomic structures of the vertebral vein system and its relationship with abdominal pressure,are very important in the prevention and treatments of surgical complications.