Background: Many surgical approaches from standard discectomy, microdiscectomy, percutaneous interlaminar and transforaminal endoscopic discectomy have been used for treatment of prolapsed intervertebral disc. Transforaminal endoscopic discectomy through a Kambin triangle is a minimal invasive procedure which can be done under local anesthesia, without muscle splitting, with short hospital stay and minimal complications.
Aim:The aim of this study is evaluation of early experience of transforaminal endoscopic lumbar discectomy, surgical technique, complications, and overall results.Patients & Methods: A retrospective study involved fifty patients with low back pain and unilateral sciatica due to prolapsed intervertebral disc were treated with endoscopic transforaminal discectomy at neurosurgery department( Zagazig University Hospitals) and Al Helmia military hospital from June2017 to December 2018 (35 patients under local, 15 patients under general anesthesia).Visual analogue score (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) has been used for preoperative clinical assessment of the patients, follow up was done at 1,6 and 12, months postoperatively. Modified Mac Nab's criteria used for evaluation of the outcome.Results: Using Modified MacNab's criteria, good to excellent outcome was noted (43 patients, 86%), fair outcome (3 patients, 6%) and poor results (4 patients, 8%). No major complications were noted, discits in (2 patients, 4%), dysaethesia (3 patients, 6%), recurrent disc prolapsed (5 patients, 10%),dural tear in (2 patients, 4%), one case of superficial wound infection ,mean operative time was 72.60 ±16.90 minutes, mean hospital stay (14.76± 11.20 hours), mean return to work was 26.36±6.33days.
