Endoscopic microdiscectomy and open discectomy for lumbar disk herniation: experience of 898 patients

Low back pain is one of the most common problems in society. Although it has many causes, degenerative back pathologies may be a key contributor. Low back pain may be a common symptom in patients with lumbar disk herniation, affecting the quality of life of most patients. Lower back and leg pain that do not respond to medical treatment and continue for a long time, accompanied by weakness in the legs, are surgical causes in herniated disk pathologies.
Microendoscopic microdiscectomy and open surgery are the two different surgical treatment methods. The surgical approach is determined by the surgeon’s experience, current technical capacity, and patient-related factors. The most preferred surgical method for many years has been the open surgery method. However, microendoscopic microdiscectomy is also becoming widespread due to recent research and the increasing experience of surgeons.
This study compared the aforementioned surgical methods and found that they yielded similar results. The complication rates of microendoscopic discectomy may decrease with increasing surgical experience when widely used. The advantages of microendoscopic discectomy are as follows: a short operation time, a clear view of the operating field using a 30° telescope, shorter length of stay, earlier mobilization and return to work, and lower infection rates.