Feasibility and surgical technique of percutaneous transforaminal discectomy for the treatment of lumbar disc herniation

Percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy (PTED) is an alternative minimally invasive technique for the treatment of lumbosacral radicular syndrome resulting from lumbar disc herniation. The latter is performed with the help of local anesthesia and sedation in an awake patient with the advantage of direct feedback. Access to the target is lateral and follows a safe trajectory through the Kambin triangle. The main advantages of this surgical technique are the possibility of early discharge within 2 hours after its completion, negligible blood loss, lower risk of infectious complications, convenience in patients with obesity, reduced risk of epidural fibrosis. There are currently no large randomized trials of good quality demonstrating the advantage of PTED over open interlaminar access established in practice. In the worst case, endoscopic discectomy is not known to pose additional risks to patients. The operative technique with a clinical case and a discussion about the applicability of the new approach for the treatment of lumbar disc herniations are presented.