Endoscopic treatment of degenerative spinal canal stenosis

Microsurgical decompression technique has been regarded as the standard surgical method in degenerative spinal diseases to date. The conventional method may lead to instability and lead to chronic lower back pain due to injury of facet joints, posterior ligamentous complex, as well as paraspinal muscles. To avoid these complications, the new biportal endoscopic technique has been introduced in our clinical practice. Since 2019, we have been widely using this technique and for the first time in Russia we have accumulated unique experience that allowed us to complete this article. The aim of this study is to demonstrate a new biportal endoscopic spinal surgical technique’s possibility in treatment of degenerative lumbar spine diseases and to report the results of using this technique in our clinic. Study design: retrospective study. One hundred two patients who were suffering from neurologic symptoms by degenerative lumbar spine diseases were included in study. All patients were divided into 3 groups according to the clinical condition: 1st group — patients with degenerative central spinal stenosis who underwent biportal endoscopic bilateral decompression using a unilateral approach, 2nd group — patients with foraminal spinal stenosis who underwent biportal endoscopic foraminotomy using a extraforaminal approach, 3rd group — patients with degenerative monosegmental instability, degenerative or isthmic spondylolisthesis who underwent biportal endoscopic lumbar interbody fusion. Clinical outcomes were analyzed in accordance with modified-Macnab criteria, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Numeral rating scale (NRS), also postoperative complications were analyzed. There was a significant improvement in the dynamics of pain syndrome, ODI scale in all 3 groups. According to the McNab scale, no unsatisfactory results were observed in any group. There were 4 cases of durotomy. In all cases, the durotomy did not exceed 3 mm and did not require further treatment. No cases of infectious complications were identified. Biportal endoscopic surgery can be considered an alternative to the traditional microsurgical technique of spinal decompression and spinal fusion in the lumbar spine. The use of this technique can significantly reduce muscle trauma, achieve sufficient decompression, and reduce the frequency of infectious complications.