ArticleInternational journal of spine surgery2026
Full-Endoscopic Transforaminal Approach With Partial Pediculectomy for a Central Thoracic Disc Herniation: Technical Note and Literature Review.
Article in International journal of spine surgery, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 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
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Thoracic endoscopic spine surgery: systematic review of the literature and exploring the margin of benefit.Journal of spine surgery (Hong Kong) · 2026Review
- Calcified Thoracic Disc Herniation: Surgical Management, Surgical Approaches, and Decision-Making.Orthopedic reviews · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThoracic disc herniations (TDHs) are rare, comprising <1% of all disc herniations, but when symptomatic can cause severe neurological dysfunction. Traditional open and mini-open approaches allow for ventral canal decompression but are associated with high morbidity, including pulmonary complications, chest tube placement, and frequent need for fusion. Full-endoscopic thoracic discectomy has emerged as an ultra-minimally invasive alternative with reduced complications and faster recovery, but its application to midline or calcified thoracic discs remains technically demanding. CASE PRESENTATION: We report the case of a 54-year-old man with progressive chest wall pain and lower-extremity hyperreflexia who was found to have a T6 to T7 central disc herniation with mild calcification and spinal cord signal change. The patient underwent an outpatient right-sided full-endoscopic transforaminal discectomy. Complete decompression was achieved without spinal cord retraction or manipulation. The patient had complete resolution of his preoperative pain and was discharged home within 2 hours. DISCUSSION: Compared with open thoracic discectomy, endoscopic approaches significantly lower complication rates, blood loss, hospital stay, and cost while preserving motion segments. Our case highlights strategies for addressing technically challenging central TDHs, including lateralized access, controlled bony resection, and angled instrumentation. These methods align with growing evidence demonstrating the safety and efficacy of endoscopy in thoracic pathology, though the technique requires advanced endoscopic expertise and careful patient selection.
conclusionFull-endoscopic transforaminal discectomy provides a safe, effective, and minimally invasive option for central TDHs in selected cases. With proper planning and advanced technical execution, endoscopic surgery can achieve decompression comparable to open surgery while minimizing morbidity and expediting recovery.
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.