title: A 10-year follow-up study on long-term clinical outcomes of lumbar microendoscopic discectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine the 10-year clinical outcomes of microendoscopic discectomy (MED), a surgical procedure for the treatment of lumbar disc herniation (LDH).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 151 patients with LDH were treated with MED and followed postoperatively for up to 10 years. The modified MacNab criteria were used to examine the clinical outcomes. In a subset of patients (n = 107), the disc-height ratio was measured radiographically according to the Mochida's method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Based on the modified MacNab criteria, 120 (79%) patients were rated as excellent, 20 (12.9%) as good, 7 (4.6%) as fair, and 5 (3.5%) as poor. Only 5 patients (3.5%) required additional surgery due to a recurrence of herniation. Other complications included intraoperative dural lacerations (5 patients) and spondylodiscitis (3 patients). Mochida's method showed an average disc-height ratio of 76.25%. Approximately 67% of the patients were able to maintain their primary occupations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The 10-year follow-up study showed that the long-term clinical outcomes of MED are satisfactory and better than those of the traditional discectomy procedure. The MED procedure is both feasible and efficacious for the treatment of LDH.
authors: Department of Orthopaedics, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chong Qing, PR China.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Wang
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Zhou
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Wang
authors: Z
authors: Z
authors: Zhang
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Li
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000767:Anesthesia, Epidural; D015299:Discitis / Q000209:etiology; D017586:Diskectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D004388:Dura Mater / Q000293:injuries; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005471:Fluoroscopy; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000601:surgery*; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery; D008161:Lumbosacral Region / Q000601:surgery*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012086:Reoperation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000453:epidemiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult