Journal List > J Korean Soc Spine Surg > v.15(4) > 1035822

Ahn, No, Huh, and Yang: Entry Point and Approaching Angle of Working Cannula in Endoscopic Lumbar Disecectomy

Abstract

Study Design

A retrospective study.

Objectives

We report the efficacy of the entry point and approach angle of a working cannula using preoperative prone abdominal computer tomography (PACT).

Summary of Literature Review

To date, there are no reports on the entry point and approach angle of a working cannula when performing transforaminal percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (TPELD) with consideration of the individual anatomic variations and characteristics of herniated disc and surgical instruments.

Materials and Methods

Cases of herniated intervertebral discs from L4-5, who have previously undergone PACT before TPELD, were included. A total of 25 patients were observed over a 1 year period. The entry point and approaching angle of the working cannula with PACT were calculated, and the results were applied to the TPELD. The clinical results were assessed 1 month after surgery using the VAS, ODI and MacNab criteria, and were confirmed by a radiology and MRI examination.

Results

The preoperative measured data using PACT showed that the mean approaching distance and mean approaching angle of the working cannula were 12.4 cm and 75.4 degree, respectively. The VAS improved from a mean of 8.1 preoperatively to a mean of 2.3 12 months after surgery. The ODI improved from a mean of 59 preoperatively to a mean of 24 at 12 months after surgery. According to the MacNab criteria, all patients were classified as either excellent and good during the follow up periods. The extruded disc of all patients had been well removed according to the MRI scan performed 1 month after surgery.

Conclusions

The scientific approach method using PACT based on the characteristics of patients and surgical instruments can be performed easily and accurately, and access and decompress the extruded disc directly. (ed note: This is very unclear. Please check this sentence.)

REFERENCES

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Fig. 1.
The operative instruments. The diameter of working sleeve is 7 mm, and the maximal distance of the opening of micro-rongeur is 5 mm.
jkss-15-257f1.tif
Fig. 2.
Schematic representation of measurement of the entry point and the approaching angle.
jkss-15-257f2.tif
Fig. 3.
(A) Axial T2-weighted magnetic resonance image shows that dura sac is compressed by posterolaterally herniated disc material at L4-5. (B) Measurement of the entry point and the approaching angle using PACT.
jkss-15-257f3.tif
Fig. 4.
In case of flat vertebrae, the beam is parallel to the upper and lower endplates of the lesion site without tilting. The entry point is on the line parallel to the axial plane of patient's body.
jkss-15-257f4.tif
Fig. 5.
(A) In case of persisting lumbar lordosis, C-arm is tilted cephaladly till the beam is parallel to the upper and lower endplates of the lesion site. (B) The entry point is on the line parallel to the axial plane of patient's body. The approaching angle of axial plane is the measurements of prone CT and that of coronal plane is parallel to the value of tilted C-arm (β).
jkss-15-257f5.tif
Fig. 6.
Radiologic changes at preoperative and postoperative 1 month after PELD. (A) Posterolateral disc herniation. (B) Central huge disc herniation. (C) Downward migration of extruded disc. (D) Partially calcified disc. In all cases, herniated discs are successfully removed.
jkss-15-257f6.tif
Table 1.
Preoperative Data on 25 Patients Who Underwent Prone CT before Transforaminal Percutaneous Endoscopic Lumbar Discectomy. BMI, Body Mass Index, weigh t(kg)/height (m)2
Case No. Age Height Weight BMI Apporaching angle Approaching distance
1 20 170 74 25.6 73 13
2 20 171 73 25.0 78 12
3 40 175 73 23.8 73 12
4 19 155 76 31.6 78 15
5 20 172 60 20.3 75 11.5
6 20 180 78 24.1 78 15
7 47 166 65 23.6 80 12
8 20 179 68 21.2 70 11.5
9 22 168 57 20.2 72 10.4
10 20 174 70 23.1 74 12.5
11 20 184 69 20.4 70 11
12 20 169 59 20.7 79 11.5
13 38 173 70 23.4 74 12
14 22 172 63 21.3 73 11
15 20 179 75 23.4 75 13
16 20 180 82 25.3 75 14.7
17 20 166 70 25.4 79 13.5
18 68 165 62 22.8 73 11
19 20 178 68 21.5 74 12.8
20 19 169 65 22.8 78 11
21 20 183 73 21.8 71 12.3
22 23 165 65 23.9 78 12
23 19 176 72 23.2 85 14
25 30 179 82 25.6 78 13
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