A new study by lead author Anthony Yeung, MD, and published in Neurospine, examines outcomes for endoscopic transforaminal foraminoplasty in patients with forminal stenosis.
The study authors examined five-year MacNab outcomes, visual analogue scale scores, complications and unintended aftercare for 86 endoscopic transforaminal foraminoplasty patients. Study authors found:
1. Seventy-two patients reported the outcomes were either "excellent" or "good" on the MacNab criteria; three reported "poor" results.
2. The average VAS score dropped from 6.15 before surgery to 3.44 on the last follow-up.
3. Nine patients had recurrent disc herniation and another nine patients reported postoperative dysesthesia. Three patients reported the procedure didn't cure their persistent pain and two patients reported new pain at a different level of the vertebrae after surgery.
4. Two patients underwent revision fusion procedures and three patients underwent revision endoscopic discectomy.
5. The study authors concluded early transforaminal endoscopic decompression could be a successful non-fusion treatment for patients with foraminal stenosis.