International journal of spine surgery
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Conventional diagnosis between axial and foraminal stenosis is suboptimal and long-term outcomes limited to posterior decompression. Aware state Transforaminal Endoscopic Lumbar Decompression and Foraminoplasty (TELDF) offers a direct aware state means of localizing and treating neuro-claudicant back pain, referred pain and weakness associated with stenosis failing to respond to conventional rehabilitation, pain management or surgery. This prospective survivability study examines the outcomes 10 years after TELDF in patients with foraminal stenosis arising from degeneration or failed back surgery. ⋯ The long term outcome of TELDF in severely disabled patients with neuro-claudicant symptoms arising from foraminal stenosis which had failed to respond to conventional rehabilitation, surgery or chronic pain management suggests that foraminal pathology is a major cause of lumbar axial and referred pain and that TELDF should be offered as primary treatment for these conditions even in the elderly and infirm. The application of TELDF at multiple levels may further widen the benefits of this technique.
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Retrospective analysis of multi-site, prospectively collected database. ⋯ Initial findings of the MIS Prospective Registry show patients can be enrolled in a relatively short time period and patient based questionnaires can successfully be obtained through a combination of clinic follow-up appointments and remote correspondence. Outcomes of the MIS Registry MIS TLIF subgroup were consistent with previously published MIS TLIF studies. Sub-analysis of data collected through level-specific patient diagnosis and treatment modalities permits outcome analysis of a wide breadth of spinal conditions and interventions.
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To analyze and describe appropriate surgical indications for endoscopically performed transforaminal decompression with the outside-in technique with foraminoplasty in patients with lateral stenosis with and without herniated disc. ⋯ Percutaneous, endoscopic decompression using outside-in technique works well in patients with monoradiculopathy due to lateral stenosis in the mid and exit zone of the neuroforamen. Decompression in the entry zone maybe inadequate using the transforaminal outside-in approach. Future studies with greater statistical power should determine as to whether pain relief was achieved via microdiscectomy or foraminoplasty.
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Conventional fluoroscopically guided continuous radiofrequency (CRF) and pulsed Radiofrequency (PRF) lesioning of the medial branch, dorsal ramus, a standard technique to treat facet pain, is compared to an endoscopic visually guided technique. The endoscopic technique (Figure 1) is designed to ablate a larger area of the transverse process where the medial branch crosses to innervate the facet. Endoscopically guided visualization provides confirmation of nerve ablation or transection in the most common location of the branches of the dorsal ramus innervating the facet joint. Fig. 1 Surgical setup for ablation of the medial, intermediate and lateral branches of the dorsal ramus. ⋯ Endoscopically guided facet rhizotomy provides more consistent ablation of the medial and lateral branches of the lumbar dorsal ramus compared to radiographically guided pulsed radiofrequency. The variations in the location of facet innervation can explain the variability of clinical results in fluoroscopically guided RF lesioning. This observation dictates a need for visually guided MIS procedure for best results.
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Cervical drains have historically been used to avoid postoperative wound and respiratory complications such as excessive edema, hematoma, infection, re-intubation, delayed extubation, or respiratory distress. Recently, some surgeons have ceased using drains because they may prolong hospital stay, operative time, or patient discomfort. The objective of this retrospective case-control series is to investigate the effectiveness of postoperative drains following one- and two-level cervical fusions. ⋯ This could contribute to excessive costs for patients treated with drains, despite the lack of compelling evidence of the advantages of this treatment in the literature and in the current study.