Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40195631›Full record

ArticleAsian spine journal2025

Two-year follow-up of unilateral biportal endoscopy assisted extraforaminal lumbar interbody fusion: how to perform indirect decompression and fusion under endoscopy: a retrospective study in Japan.

Takaki Yoshimizu, Sanshiro Saito, Teruaki Miyake, Tetsutaro Mizuno, Ushio Nosaka, Keisuke Ishii, Mizuki Watanabe, Kanji Sasaki

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In one paragraph

Article in Asian spine journal, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Takaki YoshimizuDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Seirei Hamamatsu General Hospital, Hamamatsu, Japan.
Sanshiro SaitoDepartment of Spine and Bone Tumor, Seirei Hamamatsu General Hospital, Hamamatsu, Japan.
Teruaki MiyakeDepartment of Spine and Bone Tumor, Seirei Hamamatsu General Hospital, Hamamatsu, Japan.
Tetsutaro MizunoDepartment of Spine and Bone Tumor, Seirei Hamamatsu General Hospital, Hamamatsu, Japan.
Ushio NosakaDepartment of Spine and Bone Tumor, Seirei Hamamatsu General Hospital, Hamamatsu, Japan.
Keisuke IshiiDepartment of Spine and Bone Tumor, Seirei Hamamatsu General Hospital, Hamamatsu, Japan.
Mizuki WatanabeDepartment of Spine and Bone Tumor, Seirei Hamamatsu General Hospital, Hamamatsu, Japan.
Kanji SasakiDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Seirei Hamamatsu General Hospital, Hamamatsu, Japan.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

STUDY

designRetrospective study. PURPOSE: To compare the clinical and radiographic outcomes of unilateral biportal endoscopy-assisted extraforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (BE-ELIF) and oblique lateral interbody fusion (OLIF). OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: OLIF is widely recognized for its strong realignment capability, achieved through placing a large interbody cage, and its favorable clinical outcomes with indirect decompression. ELIF, similar to OLIF, does not entail exposure of the spinal canal. At our hospital, BE-ELIF involves removing the superior articular processes on both sides, inserting two expandable cages, and performing indirect canal decompression. BE-ELIF is a lumbar interbody fusion technique that provides indirect decompression similar to OLIF. However, no studies have compared the efficacy of ELIF performed under unilateral biportal endoscopy with that of OLIF.

methodsForty-nine adults who underwent single-level L4/5 interbody fusion for degenerative spondylolisthesis were divided into BE-ELIF (n=27) and OLIF (n=22) groups based on the surgical approach used. Clinical outcomes were assessed using the Visual Analog Scale and the Japanese Orthopedic Association Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire (JOABPEQ). Radiographic parameters, including distance of spondylolisthesis, disc height, segmental lordosis, lumbar lordosis, pelvic tilt, and sagittal vertical axis, were evaluated preoperatively and at final follow-up.

resultsOLIF provided significantly better relief of pain in lower limbs and buttocks at 1-year follow-up. No significant between-group differences were observed in JOABPEQ domains. BE-ELIF resulted in greater improvements in spondylolisthesis distance and disc height, while other parameters did not differ significantly between the two groups.

conclusionsFor L4/5 degenerative spondylolisthesis, BE-ELIF demonstrated superior spondylolisthesis reduction and disc height improvement than OLIF. Although BE-ELIF was associated with some inferior clinical outcomes, it provided satisfactory results, effective realignment, and a low complication risk.

Indexed as

Extraforaminal lumbar interbody fusionIndirect decompressionLumbosacral regionSpondylolisthesisUnilateral biportal endoscopic spine surgery

Identifiers

PMID40195631
PMCPMC12061593

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