ArticleEuropean spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society2024
Minimally invasive far lateral tubular microdiscectomy: surgical technique and case series of 176 patients.
Article in European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Unilateral biportal endoscopy versus percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy for far lateral lumbar disc herniation: a systematic review and meta-analysis.EFORT open reviews · 2026Article
- Midline sequestrectomy for far lateral lumbar disc herniation: a case series and technique description.Annals of medicine and surgery (2012) · 2026Article
- Mid-term follow-up of far lateral microdiscectomy-surgical technique, outcomes and reoperation rates.Journal of spine surgery (Hong Kong) · 2025Article
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10 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundFar lateral (extraforaminal) disc herniations comprise approximately 10% of symptomatic lumbar disc herniations. They represent operative challenges due to accessibility and surgical unfamiliarity. Surgical strategies in the past have included open discectomy and posterior lumbar interbody fusion. Tubular microdiscectomies have gained traction due to their minimally invasive advantages, including reduced morbidity, pain and length of hospital stay.
methodsWe report our retrospective single institution consecutive case series of tubular far lateral microdiscectomies. One hundred and seventy-six patients were operated on over an eight-year period. Clinical outcomes were assessed after institutional ethics approval. We additionally describe our surgical technique with an illustrative video case.
resultsOver a mean follow-up of 21 weeks, 77% of patients had good or excellent clinical outcomes according to the MacNab criteria. 12% of patients underwent reoperation at the index level for symptom recurrence or persistence. Mean length of hospital stay was 1.3 days. There was a 1% rate of both postoperative haematoma and infection. Mean operation duration was 86 minutes.
conclusionThis case series represents the largest currently reported in the literature. Minimally invasive microdiscectomies performed through tubes allow for precise localisation, reduced tissue disruption and favourable clinical outcomes. Our results appear consistent with a review of the literature, demonstrating the safety and efficacy of this approach.
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