title: A retrospective evaluation of the clinical success of transforaminal endoscopic discectomy with foraminotomy in geriatric patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The elderly population is growing in the United States. As the oldest old are projected to be the fastest growing part of the elderly population, we must consider how to best treat their degenerative spine conditions when non-operative treatment fails.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Transforaminal endoscopic discectomy and foraminotomy is an ultra-minimally invasive outpatient surgical option that does not require general anesthesia and is available to geriatric. The purpose of this study was to assess the benefit of transforaminal endoscopic discectomy and foraminotomy in geriatric patients with single level and multi-level lumbar disc herniations and lumbar radiculopathy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study
  
  
  METHODS
  Outpatient surgery center.
  
  
  METHODS
  After Institutional Review Board Approval, charts from 50 consecutive patients aged 75 and older with complaints of lower back and radicular pain who underwent one or more endoscopic procedures between 2007 and 2011 were reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average pain relief 6 months postoperatively was reported to be 71.8%, good results as defined by MacNab. The average pre-operative VAS score was 9.04, indicated in our questionnaire as severe and constant pain. The average 6 month post-operative VAS score was 2.63, indicated in our questionnaire as mild and intermittent pain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is a retrospective study and only offers 6 month follow-up data for geriatric patients undergoing endoscopic spine surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Endoscopic discectomy is a safe and effective alternative to open back surgery. The 6-month follow-up data presented here appears to indicate that an ultra-minimally invasive approach to the geriatric spine that has a low complication rate, avoids general anesthesia, and is outpatient might be worth studying in a prospective, longer term way. IRB approval: Meridian Health: IRB Study # 201206071J.
authors.affiliation: Center for Control Pain, Brick, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: Gabriele P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Jasper
authors.forename: Gina M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Francisco
authors.forename: Albert E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Telfeian
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005471:Fluoroscopy; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D059526:Foraminotomy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000601:surgery*; D007796:Laminectomy / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011843:Radiculopathy / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies