First author Year Study
Number of pts. Techn. OC measures Outcome Recurrence rate/residual/redo Complications Li [21 ] 2015 EDS, comparison between FED and MED 65 TF and IL VAS and ODI No differences, shorter hospital staying in FED group 8,6% FED; 6,7% MED 1 dural tear Türk [22 ] 2015 Surgical series EDS 105 TF VAS and ODI 90,4% pain relief 2 redo surgeries Not mentioned Wang [23 ] 2015 Surgical series EDS 207 TF VAS, ODI, and MacNab 71–86% excellent OC, age related 3 to 5% age-related 3 dural tears, 1 postop instability Li [24 ] 2015 Surgical series EDS 72 IL VAS, ODI, and MacNab 97% good to excellent OC 1 No complications noted Sairyo [25 ] 2014 Surgical series EDS, analysis of complications 100 TF and IL — — — 2% nerve injury; 1% postop hematoma Liao [26 ] 2014 Surgical series EDS 15 TF VAS and MacNab 93% good to excellent OC — — Sencer [27 ] 2014 Surgical series EDS 163 TF and IL VAS and ODI 88% good to excellent OC 8 (5%) 6 (3%) dural tears; 5 (2,9%) types of postop worsening Yoshimoto [28 ] 2014 Surgical series EDS, comparison between far lateral and intraforaminal disc herniations removal 25 (far lateral) + 93 (IL) TF VAS and JOA No significant differences in pain relief between the two groups — — Jasper [29 ] 2014 Surgical series EDS, comparison between transforaminal and interlaminar approaches 41 TF and IL VAS and MacNab 75% pain relief in both groups — No complications noted Xu [30 ] 2014 Surgical series EDS, analysis of learning curve 36 IL VAS Excellent outcome 2 pts. converted to open surgery No complications noted Hussein [31 ] 2014 Comparison between EDS and MD 185 IL NRS, MacNab, and ODI Statistically significant pain relief in both groups 2; 8 converted to open surgery 3 dural tears Kulkarni [32 ] 2014 Surgical series EDS 188 IL VAS and ODI Statistically significant pain relief 3 (1,5%) 11 (5%) dural tears, 1 (0,5%) infection, and 1 (0,5%) wrong level Choi [33 ] 2013 Surgical series EDS, comparison between transforaminal and interlaminar approaches 30 TF and IL VAS and ODI Shorter recovery time in interlaminar 3,3% TF; 6,7% IL 6,7% postop dysesthesia
Wang [34 ] 2013 Surgical series EDS, comparison between early and delayed surgery 145 — VAS and MacNab No significant differences in pain relief between the two groups 8 to 11% redo No complications noted Kim [12 ] 2013 Surgical series EDS, comparison between interlaminar approach alone and interlaminar + annular sealing 224 IL VAS and ODI Statistically significant pain relief in both groups 5% IL + sealing; 13% IL alone — Yoshimoto [35 ] 2013 Surgical series EDS 25 — JOA 80,4% of pain improvement 0 No complications noted Jasper [36 –38 ] 2013 Surgical series EDS 195 TF VAS 83,9% improvement in single level pathology; 69,7% improvement in multilevel — — Wang [39 ] 2013 Surgical series EDS, analysis of learning curve (comparison between 2 groups operated on by surgeons with different level of training) 120 TF VAS and JOA Significant improvements in both groups 20 residuals, 14 (23%) group A; 6 (10%) group B; 2 recurrences 2 postop infections Choi [33 ] 2013 Surgical series EDS, intraop magnetic imaging 89 TF VAS, ODI, and MacNab Significant improvement 4 (4,5%) residuals; 2 (2%) recurrences 2 postop hematomas Jasper [36 –38 ] 2013 Surgical series EDS 50 TF VAS 71 to 75% pain relief 10% No complications Yadav [40 ] 2013 Surgical series EDS 400 IL VAS and MacNab 90% significant improvement 2 (0,5%) 3 facet injuries; 7 dural tears; 2 infections; 1 persistent paresthesias Soliman [41 ] 2013 Surgical series EDS 41 IL VAS and ODI 95% excellent to good improvement 1 2 dural tears Matsumoto [42 ] 2013 Surgical series EDS, analysis of recurrences 344 — JOA 75 to 83% recovery rate 37 (10,8%) — Hsu [43 ] 2013 Comparison between EDS and MD 59 TF and IL VAS and ODI No significant differences between EDS and standard microdiscectomy groups 2 recurrences, 4 persistent symptoms 2 nerve root injuries Chaichankul [44 ] 2012 Surgical series EDS, analysis of learning curve 50 TF VAS Significant improvement in both groups, higher in later stages of learning curve — — Kim [45 ] 2012 Surgical series EDS for migrated discs 18 IL MacNab 89% of complete removal 2 residuals 1 dural tear Hirano [46 ] 2012 Surgical series EDS 37 TF and IL VAS and JOA Significant improvement 2 — Yoon [47 ] 2012 Surgical series, comparison of EDS and tubular-retractor microdiscectomy 37 EDS + 35 MD TF VAS, ODI, and SF-36 No significant differences between EDS and standard microdiscectomy groups 1 in each group 1 dural tear; 1 bowel perforation Wang [48 ] 2012 Surgical series EDS 151 — MacNab 91% good to excellent OC 5 (3,5%) 5 pts. (3,5%) dural tears; 3 pts. (2,1%) discitis Lübbers [49 ] 2012 Surgical series EDS 22 TF and IL VAS, ODI, and MacNab 18 pts. (81%) good OC 2 (9,1%) 1 stroke Han [50 ] 2012 Surgical series EDS, analysis of technique 41 TF MacNab 39 pts. excellent to good OC — 2 nerve root injuries Kaushal [51 ] 2012 Surgical series EDS 300 IL MacNab 90% excellent to good OC — 6 discitis cases; 5 dural tears; 2 nerve root injuries Kim [45 ] 2012 Surgical series EDS, analysis of technique 30 IL — Significant improvement — No complications noted Tenenbaum [52 ] 2011 Surgical series EDS, analysis of technique, complications, and learning curve 124 TF VAS and ODI OC comparable to open surgery 20,9% redo surgery 1,6% complication rate Chumnanvej [53 ] 2011 Surgical series EDS 60 IL MacNab 91,6% excellent outcome 2 No complications Cho [54 ] 2011 Surgical series EDS, analysis of complications 154 TF VAS and ODI Significant improvement 3 (1,95%) 1 dural tear; 1 discitis Choi [55 ] 2011 Surgical series EDS, focused on annuloplasty and LBP improvement 52 TF VAS and ODI 78,4% improvement 18 residuals; 2 recurrences No complications noted Chen [56 ] 2011 Surgical series EDS, focused on anesthesia 123 IL VAS and ODI Significant improvements in both groups 3 1 dural tear Dezawa [57 ] 2011 Surgical series EDS, focused on technique 30 IL — Significant improvement 1 persistent radiculopathy — Garg [58 ] 2011 Comparison between EDS and MD 112 TF ODI Statistically significant pain relief in both groups 1 EDS, 5 dural tears Doi [59 ] 2011 Surgical series EDS 17 TF and IL JOA 16 pts. significant improvement 3 No complications noted Casal-Moro [60 ] 2011 Surgical series EDS 120 TF and IL VAS and ODI 92% good to excellent OC 7,5% redo surgery 4,1% dural tear; 4 nerve root injuries; 1 DVT; 1 discitis Wang [61 ] 2011 Surgical series EDS, analysis of learning curve 30 IL VAS Significant improvement 20% converted to open 12 to 10%, depending on the group Lee et al. [62 ] 2010 Surgical series EDS 25 TF VAS and ODI Significant improvement 1 residual; 1 recurrence No complications noted Ahn [63 ] 2010 Surgical series EDS, focused on annuloplasty and LBP improvement 87 TF VAS, ODI, and MacNab 72% good to excellent OC 13 converted to open No complications noted Jhala and Mistry [64 ] 2010 Surgical series EDS 100 IL MacNab 91% good to excellent OC 4 4 discitis cases; 1 nerve root damage Teli [65 ] 2010 Comparison between EDS and MD, focused on complications 224 — VAS, ODI, and SF-36 Higher rate of complications in EDS group 8 6 dural tears; 2 nerve injuries; 1 discitis Peng [66 ] 2010 Surgical series EDS 55 — VAS, NASS, and SF-36 Significant improvement 5% — Lee [67 ] 2009 Comparison between EDS and MD 54—25 EDS, 29 MD TF VAS and ODI Significant improvement in both groups, but reduction in hospital staying and recurrence rate in EDS group 1 EDS persistent pain; 4% 1 unspecified complication Chae [68 ] 2009 Surgical series EDS, analysis of technique 153 TF VAS and MacNab 94% excellent to good OC Not reported 1 paravertebral hematoma; 3 transient pareses; 8 transient hypoesthesia cases Zhou [69 ] 2009 Surgical series EDS 275 TF MacNab 91% good to excellent OC 5 5 dural tears; 3 infections
