ArticlePain and therapy2021
Endoscopic Transforaminal Lumbar Foraminotomy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Article in Pain and therapy, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 21 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
21 citing papers in PubMed, 32 citations in OpenAlex.
- Transforaminal Endoscopic Versus Open Lumbar Foraminotomy for Lumbar Foraminal Stenosis: Comparative Two-Year Outcomes and Technical Considerations for Complete Endoscopic Decompression.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Article
- Transforaminal Full-Endoscopic Lumbar Foraminotomy Under Local Anesthesia for Adjacent Segment Foraminal Stenosis After Lumbar Fusion: Clinical and Radiological Outcomes.International journal of spine surgery · 2026Article
- Transforaminal Endoscopic Lumbar Decompression: Defining Its Scope and Limitations.International journal of spine surgery · 2026Article
- Transforaminal Endoscopic Lumbar Foraminotomy for Radiculopathy at the Fused Segment After Lumbar Fusion: Clinical Outcomes and Surgical Considerations.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Article
- Lumbar Spinal Endoscopy: Mature, Durable, and Established-Not Investigational.International journal of spine surgery · 2026Article
- An Evaluation of Lumbar Foraminal Stenosis Radiologic Grading Systems: A Systematic Review.Spine surgery and related research · 2026Review
- Pathological Patterns and Technical Considerations in Transforaminal Endoscopic Lumbar Foraminotomy for Fusion-Segment Radicular Pain.Journal of pain research · 2026Article
- Postoperative Radiologic Changes in Early Recurrent Lumbar Foraminal Stenosis After Transforaminal Endoscopic Lumbar Foraminotomy for Lower Lumbar Segments.Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Endoscopic Foraminotomy for the Treatment of Lumbar Neuro-Foramen Stenosis: Role of CT in Treatment Planning and Post-Operative Assessment.Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Evolving Role of Lumbar Decompression: A Narrative Review.International journal of spine surgery · 2025Article
- Cost-effectiveness analysis of extended endoscopic lumbar foraminotomy (EELF) and transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF): a prospective observational study.Scientific reports · 2025Observational
- Association Between Spinopelvic Alignment and Reoperation Following Percutaneous Transforaminal Endoscopic Decompression: A Matched Case-Control Study.Journal of pain research · 2025Article
- Full-Endoscopic Midline Foraminoplasty: An Alternative Method for Treating Lumbar Foraminal Stenosis.Neurospine · 2024Article
- Clinical and radiological outcomes of lumbar endoscopic decompression for treating lumbar spinal stenosis and degenerative lumbar scoliosis: a retrospective study at mean 4.4 years follow-up.Frontiers in surgery · 2024Article
- Risk Factors of Restenosis After Full Endoscopic Foraminotomy for Lumbar Foraminal Stenosis: Case-Control Study.Neurospine · 2023Article
- Critical Appraisal of Current Acute LBP Management and the Role of a Multimodal Analgesia: A Narrative Review.Pain and therapy · 2023Review
- Article
- SPINE: High heterogeneity and no significant differences in clinical outcomes of endoscopic foraminotomy vs fusion for lumbar foraminal stenosis: a meta-analysis.EFORT open reviews · 2023Review
- Factors affecting return to work following endoscopic lumbar foraminal stenosis surgery: A single-center series.Surgical neurology international · 2023Article
- Full-endoscopy with intraoperative O-arm navigation for cervicothoracic gas-containing hemorrhagic synovial cyst: A case report.North American Spine Society journal · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionSpinal endoscopic techniques have recently been applied to complex degenerative conditions or failed back surgery syndrome. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess transforaminal endoscopic lumbar foraminotomy (TELF) outcomes and adverse event rates. We also analyzed the effectiveness of the technique for chronic pain after arthrodesis or previous spinal surgery.
methodsMultiple databases were searched for studies published in the English language, involving patients > 18 years old who underwent endoscopic foraminotomy. Outcomes included the rate of patients who showed "excellent" and "good" postoperative improvement, decreased leg pain, and improved Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores. Adverse events considered in the analysis included nerve root damage and intraoperative dural tear, the proportion of patients requiring revision surgery or recurrences, and infections.
resultsA total of 14 studies, encompassing 600 patients, were identified. Approximately 85% of patients improved significantly after TELF, without significant differences among different groups (85% vs. 78%, respectively). Mean leg pain decreased an average of 5.2 points, and ODI scores improved by 41.2%. Patients with previous spine surgery or failed back surgery syndrome had higher postoperative leg dysesthesia rates after TELF (14% vs. 1%, respectively).
conclusionTELF is a useful and safe method to achieve decompression in foraminal stenosis. This technique is indicated in the elderly or patients with comorbidities. Preoperative planning is paramount in determining the foraminal size and endoscope trajectory. A diamond burr is recommended because it has an advantage over the regular endoscopic shaver in bleeding control and complication avoidance.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.