Lumbar Stenosis: Central and Lateral Recess Stenosis

Abstract

Major improvements in clinical outcomes have been made since the introduction of microscopic decompression for lumbar central and lateral recess spinal stenosis. The introduction of the spinal endoscopic system has further redefined spine surgery for degenerative lumbar diseases including spinal stenosis. Although uniportal endoscopic spine surgery through interlaminar space enables direct spinal canal decompression, it is limited by a steep learning curve. Unilateral biportal endoscopic (UBE) spine surgery has been introduced and facilitated in spine surgery and this approach is regarded as very similar to microscopic surgery through the utilization of the same surgical instrument. Therefore, UBE surgery is relatively familiar to spine surgeons compared to a uniportal endoscopic spine surgery. UBE spine surgery offers a clean and magnified operative view through continuous irrigation and usage of a large diameter endoscopic camera system compared to a uniportal endoscopic spine surgery. Due to these advantages, UBE surgery has been suggested as a more efficient surgical approach for decompression of lumbar spinal stenosis and it will gain increased popularity. Herein, the authors present a technical procedure of UBE surgery for lumbar central and lateral recess spinal stenosis.KeywordsBiportalDecompressionEndoscopyLumbarStenosis