OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical effects of transforaminal endoscopic spine system in surgical revision of lumbar vertebrae.

METHODSFrom January 2012 to October 2013,14 patients who needed reoperations of lumbar vertebrae were treated using transforaminal endoscopic spine system (TESSYS). There were 8 males and 6 males, aged from 27 to 84 years old with an average of (50.4 ± 18.9) years. Visual analogue scale (VAS) and Japanese Orthopaedic Association Scores (JOA) were compared before and after surgical revision. Macnab standard was used to assess the clinical effect.

RESULTSAll the patients were followed up from 6 to 27 months with the mean of 18 months. Preoperative VAS score was 6.79 ± 1.31, and in a week,3 months and 6 months after operation were 2.50 ± 1.29, 2.21 ± 1.53, 1.64 ± 1.08, respectively, which were all much lower (P < 0.01) than preoperative score. Preoperative JOA score was 12.43 ± 1.95, and the above corresponding postoperative JOA scores were 21.50 ± 3.78, 21.93 ± 4.55, 23.36 ± 4.33, respectively, which were all much higher than preoperative score (P < 0.01). According to the modified Macnab criteria, 5 patients got an excellent results, 7 good, 1 fair and 1 poor. The nerve root injury of L5 occurred in 1 case during paracentesis and no other complications were found.

CONCLUSIONSelecting the appropriate indications using TESSYS in surgical revision of lumbar vertebrae can successfully avoid the operation scar, reduce the surgical complications and obtain satisfactory clinical outcomes.