title: Endoscope-assisted oblique lumbar interbody fusion for the treatment of cauda equina syndrome: a technical note.
abstract: The goal of this paper was to describe how endoscope-assisted oblique lumbar interbody fusion (OLIF) could remove huge lumbar disc herniation (HLDH) manifested with cauda equina syndrome (CES).
  
  
  
  In this study, the authors made an attempt to treat CES with a direct endoscopic decompression through the OLIF corridor and performed OLIF in two patients with HLDH.
  
  
  
  Two patients with HLDH were successfully treated using OLIF with spinal endoscopic discectomy. We achieved direct ventral decompression by removal of herniated disc fragments located beyond the posterior longitudinal ligament (PLL). All preoperative symptoms in two patients improved postoperatively.
  
  
  
  Endoscope-assisted oblique lumbar interbody fusion (OLIF) could successfully achieve neural decompression without additional posterior decompression in CES and could be used as an alternative treatment in well selected cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 222 Banpo Daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul, 137-701, South Korea. mddavidk@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jin-Sung
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 222 Banpo Daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul, 137-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Ji-Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Seong
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000379:methods; D017586:Diskectomy / Q000379:methods; D004724:Endoscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011128:Polyradiculopathy / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Cauda equina syndrome; Discectomy; Endoscope; Lumbar disc disease; Oblique lumbar interbody fusion