Micro-Endoscopic Discectomy versus Open Discectomy: A Struggle for Better Clinical Outcomes

Objective:  The objective of the current study was to compare the clinical outcomes of a micro-endoscopic discectomy with an open discectomy. Materials & Methods:  This Quasi-experimental study was conducted in the Department of Neurosurgery, Alrazi Healthcare, Lahore, and Ammar Medical Complex, Lahore. The sample consisted of 40 patients with lower back pain with radiation to the lower limbs. A lumbar disc single-segment hernia was diagnosed based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings. Independent sample t-test was used to explore the difference in outcomes and level of pain between group A and group B. Chi-square test was used to compare the recovery rate of patients in both groups. Results:  A significant difference between the two groups in terms of surgery duration (t = 15.977, P = .000), blood loss during surgery (t = -10.256, P = .000), length of incision (t = -58.355, P = .000), and hospital stay after surgery (t = -4.687, P = .000) was found. The overall recovery rate for the micro-endoscopic Discectomy group was 95% whereas, in the open discectomy group, it was 90%. Conclusion:  Micro-endoscopic discectomy is superior to open discectomy in terms of lesser surgical trauma, lesser blood loss, lesser hospital stay, earlier return to work, and higher pain resolution.