OBJECTIVETo estimate intermediate and long term clinical effects of lumbar intervertebral disc herniation on discectomy with diskoscope.

METHODSA hundred and nine patients with lumbar intervertebral disc herniation were retrospectively analyzed. The patietnts were operated with diskoscope. There were 61 males and 48 females. The age was from 25 to 68 years old with an average of 37.7 years. The affected region of patients were L(3,4) (5 cases), L(4,5) (42 cases), L5S1 (49 cases), L(4.5) and L5S1 (13 cases). Among them, 88 cases with single side and one segment, 13 cases with homolateral and two segments, 8 cases with hibateral and one segment were operated. The curative effects were followed up and estimated by recording satisfaction degrees at 1 year and 5.2 years(average) after operation. Moreover,intervertebral space height and the spinal stability of the patients were compared by imaging data before and after operation.

RESULTSAt 1 year and 5.2 years (average) after operation,the scores by JOA standard were improved from 6.40 +/- 1.68 to 13.40 +/- 1.42, 13.15 +/- 1.35 (P < 0.01) respectively;the scores by VAS standard were reduced from 7.10 +/- 1.55 to 1.90 +/- 0.84, 2.10 +/- 0.58 (P < 0.01) respectively; the excellent and good rate was 91.7% (100/109) and 89.9% (98/109) respectively; the satisfaction degree of the patients was 95.4% and 94.5% respectively. The average time before working was 1 month. The imaging data of 45 patients were complete in the study, no lumbar instability sign were found. The loss rates of intervertebral space height were 57.8% (26/45), 93.3% (42/45) respectively at 1 year and 5.2 years (average) after operation.

CONCLUSIONDiscectomy with diskoscope has a good intermediate and long term clinical effects, it is a reliable method in the treatment of lumbar intervertebral disc herniation. It doesn't uncertainly cause instability of intervertebral space and root compression, though it can't avoid the loss of intervertebral space height.