Technique of Percutaneous Transforaminal Endoscopic Discectomy for the Treatment of Lumbar Disc Herniation

Percutaneous Transforaminal Endoscopic Discectomy is a minimally invasive surgery with little pain, less blood loss, less hospital stay and the surgery can be done in local anesthesia, which was started during late 20th century. Kambin and Gellmann in 1973 in the United States and Hijikata in Japanin 1977 individually preformed posterolateral percutaneous nucleotomy for the resection of the nucleus pulposus and release of compressed exiting nerve root, which is now spreading through the world and many surgeons are developing their skill but it needs experience and patience for successful outcomes. Along with advanced instruments now the surgery can be performed only giving a small skin incision of 8 10 mm and is as effective as the conventional method of surgery and open microdiscectomy surgery for the treatment of symptomatic lumbar disc herniation. In this review, we are explaining the technique of minimally invasive Percutaneous Transforaminal Endoscopic Discectomy surgery along its advantages and complications which can be encountered while performing this technique.