Full-endoscopic discectomy for thoracic disc herniations: a single-arm meta-analysis of safety and efficacy outcomes.

INTRODUCTION: Surgical intervention is the treatment of choice in patients with thoracic disc herniation with refractory symptoms and progressive myelopathy. Due to high occurrence of complications from open surgery, minimally invasive approaches are desirable. Nowadays, endoscopic techniques have become increasingly popular and full-endoscopic surgery can be performed in the thoracic spine with low complication rates. METHODS: Cochrane Central, PubMed, and Embase databases were systematically searched for studies that evaluated patients who underwent full-endoscopic spine thoracic surgery. The outcomes of interest were dural tear, myelopathy, epidural hematoma, recurrent disc herniation, and dysesthesia. In the absence of comparative studies, a single-arm meta-analysis was performed. RESULTS: We included 13 studies with a total of 285 patients. Follow-up ranged from 6 to 89 months, age from 17 to 82 years, with 56.5% male. The procedure was performed under local anesthesia with sedation in 222 patients (77.9%). A transforaminal approach was used in 88.1% of the cases. There were no cases of infection or death reported. The data showed a pooled incidence of outcomes as follows, with their respective 95% confidence intervals (CI)-dural tear (1.3%; 95% CI 0-2.6%); dysesthesia (4.7%; 95% CI 2.0-7.3%); recurrent disc herniation (2.9%; 95% CI 0.6-5.2%); myelopathy (2.1%; 95% CI 0.4-3.8%); epidural hematoma (1.1%; 95% CI 0.2-2.5%); and reoperation (1.7%; 95% CI 0.1-3.4%). CONCLUSION: Full-endoscopic discectomy has a low incidence of adverse outcomes in patients with thoracic disc herniations. Controlled studies, ideally randomized, are warranted to establish the comparative efficacy and safety of the endoscopic approach relative to open surgery.

Delayed Infected Pseudomeningocele After Percutaneous Endoscopic Lumbar Diskectomy.

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous endoscopic lumbar diskectomy (PELD) has evolved over the last decades and has become an effective treatment for soft disk herniations. However, while its use increases, newer complications have been discovered. CASE DESCRIPTION: We present the unique case of a woman who underwent PELD/foraminotomy to treat right-side foraminal disk herniations on L4-5 and L5-S1 in the same procedure. Ten days after surgery, the patient developed fever and severe low back pain radiated down her right leg. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a right pseudomeningocele arising from L4-5 and a nerve root herniated through the dural sac at the same lumbar segment. Blood cultures and fluid culture obtained from pseudomeningocele drainage depicted infection. Specific antibiotics were administrated, direct dura repair under the microscope was performed, and the patient improved symptomatically. CONCLUSIONS: PELD combined with foraminotomy is a relatively new and skill-demanding surgery which is indicated only in cases where foraminal disk herniation is combined with foraminal stenosis. This surgical strategy requires experience by the endoscopic surgeon to prevent procedure-related complications. Although rare, these complications can lead to increased morbidity.

Nucleoplasty as a therapeutic option for lumbar disc degeneration related pain: a retrospective study of 396 cases / Nucleoplastia como opção terapêutica para dor relacionada à degeneração do disco lombar: um estudo retrospectivo de 396 casos

OBJECTIVES: To make a retrospective analysis and evaluate a clinical response to the control of disc degeneration related pain of 396 patients submitted to percutaneous lumbar nucleoplasty; and to make a record of visual analogical scale (VAS) up to a three-year follow-up after the surgical procedure. METHODS: Analysis of VAS score in 396 patients with lumbar disc degeneration related pain, according to anamnesis, clinical examination and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), without improvement of previous clinical treatment, submitted to percutaneous nucleoplasty. RESULTS: A total of 26% of the patients presented 100% remission of pain or paresthesia, of whom 75% showed at least 50% of pain improvement. The median VAS pain improvement was about 67%. CONCLUSIONS: The median VAS improvement in inferior disc levels was higher than four points. The VAS showed improvement of the pain and paresthesia up to a three-year follow up after the surgical procedure.

OBJETIVOS: Analisar retrospectivamente a resposta clínica no controle da dor relacionada à degeneração discal em 396 pacientes submetidos à nucleoplastia percutânea lombar; e fazer um registro da escala analógica visual (EAV) com seguimento de três anos após a cirurgia. MÉTODOS: Análise da EAV de 396 pacientes com diagnóstico de hérnia de disco, de acordo com anamnese, exame clínico e imagens por meio de ressonância magnética (RM), sendo que nenhum deles apresentou melhora com tratamento clínico prévio. Estes pacientes foram submetidos à nucleoplastia percutânea. O estudo utilizou, para avaliação, o registro de escala analógica visual (EAV) durante seguimento de até três anos após o procedimento cirúrgico. RESULTADOS: Um total de 26% apresentou 100% de remissão da dor ou parestesia; 75% apresentaram pelo menos 50% de melhora da dor. A mediana da EAV de melhora da dor foi de aproximadamente 67%. CONCLUSÕES: Houve melhora da EAV, com mediana maior do que quatro pontos nos pacientes com acometimento nos níveis discais inferiores. A EAV mostrou melhora da dor e parestesia num período de seguimento de até três anos após o procedimento cirúrgico.

Nucleoplasty as a therapeutic option for lumbar disc degeneration related pain: a retrospective study of 396 cases.

OBJECTIVES: To make a retrospective analysis and evaluate a clinical response to the control of disc degeneration related pain of 396 patients submitted to percutaneous lumbar nucleoplasty; and to make a record of visual analogical scale (VAS) up to a three-year follow-up after the surgical procedure. METHODS: Analysis of VAS score in 396 patients with lumbar disc degeneration related pain, according to anamnesis, clinical examination and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), without improvement of previous clinical treatment, submitted to percutaneous nucleoplasty. RESULTS: A total of 26% of the patients presented 100% remission of pain or paresthesia, of whom 75% showed at least 50% of pain improvement. The median VAS pain improvement was about 67%. CONCLUSIONS: The median VAS improvement in inferior disc levels was higher than four points. The VAS showed improvement of the pain and paresthesia up to a three-year follow up after the surgical procedure.