Using Visual Trepan to Treat Single Segment Ossification of the Ligamentum Flavum Under Endoscopy

Abstract

This article describes the trepan technique for treating single segment ossification of the ligamentum flavum (OLF) using an endoscope. OLF is the most common cause of thoracic spinal stenosis. The most common surgical procedures involve semi‐lamina or full‐lamina resection and decompression. However, considering the anatomical structure of the thoracic spinal canal and the combination of OLF, traditional surgery has higher risks, more complications, and greater technical requirements. In the past ten years, with the development of endoscopic technology, spinal endoscopy has been increasingly applied for the treatment of intervertebral disc herniation and spinal canal stenosis. The present study demonstrated the effectiveness of visual trepan decompression under spinal endoscopy used for patients with single segment OLF. This surgical procedure had many advantages, including a shorter operation time, minimal trauma, less expenditure, and better functional recovery over the conventional open surgery.

Percutaneous Endoscopic Unilateral Laminotomy and Bilateral Decompression for Lumbar Spinal Stenosis

“…With the rapid development of endoscopic decompression technology, there are increasingly more indications for endoscopic decompression surgery 11, 12 . Furthermore, the improvements to surgical instruments have made endoscopic surgery more accurate and safer, as well as increasingly in line with the concept of surgical decompression 14, 15 . Therefore, we investigated the safety and efficacy of Endo‐ULBD using visual trepan in elderly patients with LSS.…”

“…However, a successful percutaneous endoscopic unilateral laminotomy and bilateral decompression (Endo-ULBD) operation for LSS requires surgeons skilled in spinal endoscopy technology, and there is little literature on this subject 12,15 .…”

“…It has also been reported in the literature that transforaminal endoscopic thoracic discectomy could be a feasible method for treating thoracic spinal stenosis 9 . Furthermore, the surgical instruments have been continuously improved and the indications of spinal endoscopic technology have been further expanded 12, 14, 15 , especially for the application of endoscopic visual trepan, which allows the technology to be applied in the treatment of LSS.…”

Erratum

“…In [], the second affiliation was erroneously published as “Department of Orthopaedics Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China”.…”