title: Minimally invasive technique for decompression of lumbar foraminal stenosis using a spinal microendoscope: technical note.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lumbar foraminal stenosis is a troublesome disease. Decompression of the whole length of the nerve root from the spinal canal to extraforaminal zone is often a surgical requirement due to the difficulty in identifying the nerve compression site before surgery, making preservation of the posterior elements difficult. The authors report a minimally invasive microendoscopic technique for lumbar foraminal stenosis to decompress the entire length of the nerve root from the spinal canal to the extraforaminal zone while preserving the posterior elements.
  
  
  METHODS
  A tubular retractor is inserted towards the base of the transverse process of the upper vertebra with the retractor tilted inward at a 45-degree angle or greater. Approximately one-third of the pedicle is resected caudally from the base of the transverse process to the spinal canal. After identification of the nerve root, compression factors around the nerve are excised from the spinal canal to the extraforaminal zone without damaging posterior elements such as the facet joints and pars interarticularis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We treated 6 patients with lumbar foraminal stenosis using this procedure. There were no complications during the operation, and satisfactory results were obtained in all cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This microendoscopic technique proved to be useful for the treatment of lumbar foraminal stenosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. myoshimo@sapmed.ac.jp
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoshimoto
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takebayashi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kawaguchi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tsuda
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ida
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wada
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamashita
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008853:Microscopy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D044583:Neuroendoscopy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D011843:Radiculopathy / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011859:Radiography; D013130:Spinal Stenosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*