• Zhen-zhou Li, Shu-xun Hou, Wei-lin Shang, Zheng Cao, and Hong-liang Zhao.
• The Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chinese PLA's General Hospital, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: dr_lizhenzhou@163.com.
• Clin Neurol Neurosurg. 2016 Apr 1; 143: 90-4.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the outcome and safety of percutaneous lumbar foraminoplasty (PLF) and percutaneous endoscopic lumbar decompression (PELD) with specially designed instrument for lumbar lateral recess stenosis with/without herniated discs (HDs).MethodFrom August of 2011 to August of 2013, 96 patients met the inclusion criteria were treated with PLF-PELD and 85 cases were followed up to 2 years postoperatively. MRI or CT checkup performed in the next morning after operation. Outcomes of symptoms were evaluated by follow-up interviews at 3 months, 6 months, 1 year and 2 years after surgery. Low back pain and leg pain were measured by Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score (1-100). Functional outcomes were assessed by using Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and modified MacNab criteria.ResultTwo years follow-up data were obtained from 85 cases, including 14 cases on unilateral L3-4, 1 case on bilateral L3-4, 49 cases on unilateral L4-5, 3 cases on bilateral L4-5, 12 cases on unilateral L5S1, 1 case on bilateral L5S1, 3 cases on unilateral L3-5 and 2 cases on unilateral L4-S1. So totally 95 lumbar lateral recesses were decompressed. Patients ranged in age from 46-78 years (mean age, 56.7 years), including 36 males and 49 females. 56 cases combined with HDs. Low back pain and leg pain were significantly relieved after surgery in all patients. 3 patients were complicated with dysesthesia in distribution of exiting nerve that was all operated at L5S1. Postoperative MRI/CT examination showed adequate decompression of lateral recess and removal of combined HDs in all patients. No patient had postoperative infection, dysfunctional nerve root injury or iatrogenic segmental instability. 2 cases experienced recurrence of combined HDs (2.4%), but could not undertake further revision surgery because of infirm condition. All the 85 cases were analyzed with complete follow-up data. VAS scores and ODI values were significantly lower in all time-points after surgery than before surgery. MacNab scores at 2 years after surgery were obtained from all the 85 patients. 29 cases were given "excellent"; 48 were given "good". 6 patients experienced heavier low back pain, thus being classified as "fair". 2 cases with recurrence were given "poor".ConclusionsPLF-PELD with specially designed instrument is a less invasive, effective and safe surgery for lumbar lateral recess stenosis with/without combined HDs.Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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