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Background: Epidural hemostasis needs to use small, adapted material in minimally invasive surgery, including bilateral decompression via a unilateral approach for lumbar spinal stenosis. Most surgeons avoid external material for hemostasis because of possible neural tissue damage or complications. We compared epidural hemostasis in minimally invasive surgery by fat graft versus gelatin sponge., Methods: The design was a prospective randomized controlled in-vivo human experimental study. The 24 levels operated on for lumbar spinal stenosis were evaluated in two groups: Group A (control group: gelatin sponge) and Group B (experimental group: fat graft). International Normalized Ratio and Prothrombin Time were assessed preoperatively. Number of cotton hemostats and systolic and diastolic blood pressure were assessed intraoperatively. Epidural hemorrhage area, spinal cord size and ratio of epidural hemorrhage area to spinal cord size were evaluated on early postoperative lumbar MRI., Results: Mean epidural hemorrhage area in groups A and B was respectively 1.3±0.5 and 1.2±0.6cm 2 , and mean spinal cord size 1.2±0.6 and 1.8±0.6cm 2 on early postoperative axial lumbar MRI. The two groups did not significantly differ in ratio of epidural hemorrhage/spinal cord size or number of intraoperative hemostats (P=0.36, and P=0.71)., Conclusions: The autologous fat graft ensured sufficient and safe epidural hemostasis without serious adverse events in minimally invasive spinal surgery, and is preferable as autologous tissue is easily and quickly harvested. The surgeon feels safe with this technique and does not need external hemostatic agents., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background:  Far-lateral lumbar disk herniation (FLDH) is defined as a disk herniation located laterally to the medial wall of the pedicle. The aim of our study is to describe the extraforaminal microdiskectomy by midline incision for FLDH, which does not include laminotomy-partial facetectomy, and to evaluate mid-term surgical outcomes., Methods:  107 patients who underwent surgery for FLDH by midline incision for the first time between 2012 and 2017 were included in our study. The assessment of neurological status of the patients was done by physical examination, preoperative Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Visual Analog Scala (VAS) scores, and magnetic resonance images. They were then followed-up postoperatively and at 12 months with VAS and ODI tests., Result:  58 (54.2%) patients were male and 49 (45.8%) were female. The mean age at the time of surgery was 55.0 ± 8.6 years. The mean ODI scale score was 32.4 ± 6.2 preoperatively, 11.4 ± 2.1 early postoperatively, and 9.7 ± 2.2 in late postoperative follow-up (statistically significant, p  = 0.001). The average VAS was 7.51 ± 1.1 preoperatively, 2.74 ± 0.7 early postoperatively, and 0.68 ± 0.08 in late postoperative follow-up (statistically significant, p  = 0.001). The average operative time was 41 ± 7 (37 to 58) minutes., Conclusions:  The extraforaminal microdiskectomy without laminotomy by midline incision is a minimally invasive approach for FLDH. Our technique allows a sufficient and safe decompression of the neural structures, and thus results in a significant reduction of the symptoms and disability., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflict of interest concerning the materials or methods used in this study or the findings specified in this paper., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To evaluate long-term outcome and reoperation rate for microsurgical bilateral decompression via unilateral approach of lumbar spinal stenosis, a common degenerative spinal disease of the lumbar spine., Methods: In this observational prospective study, 918 patients were treated for single-level or multilevel lumbar spinal stenosis by bilateral decompression via unilateral approach between January 2002 and January 2016. Of 918 patients, 180 underwent microdiscectomy with decompression. Follow-up consisted of radiologic investigations, Oswestry Disability Index questionnaire, and 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey at 6 and 12 months postoperatively., Results: There were 492 female patients (53.6%) and 426 male patients (46.4%) with a mean age of 63.83 ± 10.16 years (range, 43-79 years). Symptom duration was 4-49 months. Average follow-up time was 98 months (range, 25-168 months), and reoperation rate was 2.5%. Oswestry Disability Index scores decreased significantly (from 30.65 ± 7.82 to 11.32 ± 2.50 at 6 months and 11.30 ± 2.49 at 12 months), and 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey parameter scores demonstrated a significant improvement in the early and late follow-up results., Conclusions: Bilateral decompression via unilateral approach for lumbar spinal stenosis allowed a sufficient and safe decompression of the neural structures, resulting in a highly significant reduction of symptoms and disability, acceptable reoperation rate, and improved health-related quality of life., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Object: The aim of this study was to evaluate the results and effectiveness of bilateral decompression via a unilateral approach in the treatment of lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS)., Methods: Operations were performed in 84 selected patients (mean age 62.1 ± 10 years) with lumbar DS between the years 2001 and 2008. The selection criteria included lower back pain with or without sciatica, neurogenic claudication that had not improved after at least 6 months of conservative treatment, and a radiological diagnosis of Grade I DS and lumbar stenosis. Decompression was performed at 3 levels in 15.5%, 2 levels in 54.8%, and 1 level in 29.7% of the patients with 1 level of spondylolisthesis. All patients were followed up for at least 24 months. For clinical evaluations, a visual analog scale, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and Neurogenic Claudication Outcome Score (NCOS) were used. Spinal canal size and (neutral and dynamic) slip percentages were measured both pre- and postoperatively., Results: Neutral and dynamic slip percentages did not significantly change after surgery (p = 0.67 and p = 0.63, respectively). Spinal canal size increased from 50.6 ± 5.9 to 102.8 ± 9.5 mm(2) (p < 0.001). The ODI decreased significantly in both the early and late follow-up evaluations, and good or excellent results were obtained in 64 cases (80%). The NCOS demonstrated significant improvement in the late follow-up results (p < 0.001). One patient (1.2%) required secondary fusion during the follow-up period., Conclusions: Postoperative clinical improvement and radiological findings clearly demonstrated that the unilateral approach for treating 1-level and multilevel lumbar spinal stenosis with DS is a safe, effective, and minimally invasive method in terms of reducing the need for stabilization.