Two Portal Percutaneous Endoscopic Decompression for Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: Preliminary Study.
METHODS
Retrospective.


OBJECTIVE
To report the outcomes of patients with lumbar spinal stenosis treated with percutaneous endoscopic decompression, focusing on the results of clinical evaluations.


BACKGROUND
There are no studies about two portal percutaneous endoscopic decompression in the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis.


METHODS
Medical and surgical complications were examined and clinical results were analyzed for 30 patients who consecutively underwent two portal percutaneous endoscopic decompression for lumbar spinal stenosis were reviewed. The operations were performed by unilateral laminotomy for bilateral decompression.


RESULTS
All patients displayed clinical improvement when were evaluated with visual analog scale (VAS) score of pain, Oswestry disability index (ODI) and Macnab criteria. The improvement of VAS and ODI was 8.3±0.7 to 2.3±2.6 and 65.2±13.7 to 24.0±15.5, respectively (both p<0.05). Complications were the same as for open decompression. The most common complication was transient nerve root paresthesia.


CONCLUSIONS
Surgical decompression with two portal percutaneous endoscopic decompression has initial benefits, but long-term studies should pay more attention to the risks of postoperative instability and restenosis as well as the need for re-operation. Further investigations with long-term results are thus required.
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Department of Orthopedics, Faculty of Medicine, HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Medical Center, Srinakhrinwirot University, Nakhon Nayok, Thailand.
Yingyong
Y
Torudom
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Department of Orthopedics, Faculty of Medicine, HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Medical Center, Srinakhrinwirot University, Nakhon Nayok, Thailand.
Thitinut
T
Dilokhuttakarn
Lumbar spine; Percutaneous endoscopic decompression; Spinal stenosis