OBJECTIVETo compare the clinical effect,advantages and disadvantages of endoscopic surgery and open surgery in treating the recurrent lumbar disc herniation.

METHODSFrom August 2008 to December 2010,the data of 35 patients with recurrent lumbar disc herniation were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into endoscopic surgery group and open surgery group according to operative methods. Fourteen patients in endoscopic surgery group were treated with transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion by micro-endoscopic discectomy (MED) and the other 21 patients in open surgery the group were treated with posterior lumbar interbody fusion by open surgery. All patients were fixed by vertebral pedicle screw. The operation time,volume of bleeding and drainage after operation,analgesic dosage and time in bed after operation were observed. Visual Analogue Scale(VAS),Japanese Orthopedic Association(JOA)and Chinese Oswestry Disability Index(CODI) were used to evaluate the clinical effects before and after operation.

RESULTSThere was no significant difference in operation time between two groups(P>0.05). Volume of bleeding and drainage after operation,analgesic dosage and time in bed after operation,VAS score in endoscopic surgery group was less than that of open surgery group (P<0.01). All patients were followed up for 1 year. There was no significant difference in JOA between two groups (P>0.05). CODI in endoscopic surgery group was better than that of open surgery group (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONBoth operative methods can obtain good clinical effects,but the transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion operation by micro-endoscopic discectomy (MED) has advantage of less traumatic and less pain,better functional recovery,it is a first choice in treating the recurrent lumbar disc herniation.