• Hiroki Iwai, Hirohiko Inanami, and Hisashi Koga.
• Department of Neurosurgery, Iwai FESS Clinic, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Orthopaedics, Iwai Orthopaedic Medical Hospital, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Inanami Spine and Joint Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
• World Neurosurg. 2020 Oct 1; 142: 487-494.e1.

BackgroundOssification of the ligamentum flavum (OLF) is a relatively common disease in East Asia. Although surgical decompression using a posterior approach is commonly used to treat OLF, there are several different treatment strategies. The purpose of this study is to clarify the technically important points for the treatment of OLF using full-endoscopic spine surgery (FESS).MethodsFESS was performed on 7 patients with lumbar OLF. Patients had a mean age of 62.3 years and single-level involvement. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging were used to classify the OLF. Two different types of spinal endoscope were used for posterior decompression. Interlaminal and translaminal approaches were performed in 6 and 1 patient, respectively. Preoperative and postoperative pain was evaluated using the numeric rating scale score.ResultsThe mean operation time was 84.1 minutes. Unilateral round-type OLF was treated using a 4.1-mm working channel endoscope. The bilateral type was treated using a 6.4-mm working channel endoscope. A dural tear occurred in 1 patient with beak-type OLF, but no symptoms resulting from the tear were observed. The mean preoperative and postoperative numeric rating scale scores were 7.7 and 1.6, respectively.ConclusionsPosterior decompression using FESS can be used to treat patients with lumbar OLF. Unilateral round-type OLF with ipsilateral radiculopathy can be treated using a 4.1-mm working channel endoscope. Bilateral-type OLF with cauda equina symptoms should be treated using a 6.4-mm working channel endoscope.Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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