Transpedicular Percutaneous Discectomy for High-Grade Down-Migrated Lumbar Disc Herniation

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes of percutaneous endoscopic discectomy using the transpedicular approach for hernias with down-migration.Methods: The study involved a retrospective descriptive analysis of 7 patients who underwent surgery by 2 senior surgeons at 4 different hospitals between 2016 and 2024. The minimum follow-up period was 6 months. All patients were treated with lumbar discectomy through a transpedicular approach with an oblique trajectory. Preoperative and postoperative clinical data were collected for statistical analysis.Results: The surgical procedures were successful and complication-free for all patients. The preoperative and postoperative radicular visual analogue scale and Oswestry Disability Index scores were compared, and the differences were statistically significant (p<0.05).Conclusion: At the last follow-up, 100% of patients had good to excellent results according to the modified MacNab criteria. The transpedicular approach, when using a percutaneous endoscopic technique, requires precise surgical planning and accurate knowledge of the vertebral anatomy. The technique can be made more accessible to inexperienced surgeons by describing it with different instrumentation.