Transforaminal Endoscopic Discectomy in Lumbar Disc Herniations

Objective Endoscopic lumbar discectomy has been popular in recent years. Currently transforaminal endoscopic discectomy is performed successfully in selected cases. The aim of this study is to review the preliminary results of transforaminal endoscopic discectomy procedure.Methods The charts of cases who underwent transforaminal endoscopic discectomy in 2008-2009 were reviewed retrospectively. The demographic data, the preoperative and postoperative pain severity (based on VAS scores), and postoperative 1 and 6th month satisfaction rates (based on Macnab classification) were analysed.Results There were 21 cases (13 male, and 8 female). The main symptom was sciatica. There was motor deficit in three cases. The preoperative mean VAS score was 8.47. The disc herniation was located in L3-4 in four cases, in L4-5 in 15 cases, and in L5-S1 in two cases. The lumbar disc herniation was foraminal or foraminal + paramedian in 17 cases, and extraforaminal (far lateral) in 4 cases. Eighteen cases (85%) was satisfied from the procedure in early postoperative period, and the mean VAS score reduced to 2.1. Three out of 18 cases who were well in early postoperative period reported light sciatica and suffered transforaminal selective nevre root block. The satisfaction rate reduced to 71% in 6th month postoperatively. The VAS sacore was reported to be 2.4 at 6th month.Conclusion Transforaminal endoscopic discectomy was found to be successful and safe in selected cases. However, cooperation with patient during the surgery, the height of disc, the location of disc, and the experience of the surgeon affect the success rate after the surgery.