OBSERVING THE CLINICAL OUTCOMES OF SINGLE PORT ENDOSCOPIC POSTEROLATERAL TLIF IN RETIRED ATHLETES

Abstract

Objective To investigate the clinical outcomes of single port endoscopic posterolateral transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) in athletic patients. Methods Retrospective analysis was done on the clinical information of 82 athletic patients suffering from degenerative scoliosis who were operated at our hospital's spine surgery department from April 2020 to December 2021. They were split into an observing and a controlling group using the random number table approach, with 41 cases per group. The controlling group had open TLIF therapy, whereas the observing group received single-hole endoscopic TLIF. Both groups' operational indicators were scrutinized. We contrasted the preoperative and postoperative results of both groups for the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Japanese Orthopedic Association score (JOA), Cobb angle, lumbar lordosis angle, sacral inclination angle, and Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). Both groups' postoperative bone graft fusion was seen. Results Athletic Patients in the observing group underwent operations with considerably less time and blood loss versus to those in the controlling group (P <0.05). In terms of surgical drainage volume and hospital stay, there was no clinically meaningful variation among both groups (P > 0.05). The VAS and ODI scores of both groups were substantially lower after surgery than before, whereas the JOA score was substantially greater (P <0.05). After the procedure, the observing group's VAS and ODI scores were substantially lower versus to those of the controlling group, although their JOA scores were substantially higher (P <0.05). The lumbar lordosis angle and sacral tilt angle were substantially greater versus to those before surgery (P <0.05), whereas the Cobb angle of the both groups was substantially lower after surgery versus to it was before. After the procedure, there was no clinically meaningful variation in the Cobb angle, lumbar lordosis angle, or sacral inclination angle among the observing and controlling groups (P > 0.05). Following surgery, both groups' ratings for physiologic function, psychological function, social function, and everyday living were considerably greater versus to they were before surgery (P <0.05); and after the procedure, the observing group's ratings for everyday living, social function, psychological function, and physical function were all considerably higher versus to those in the controlling group's (P <0.05). In the observing group, there were 39 cases of bone graft fusion; the fusion rate was 95.12%; in the controlling group, there were 38 cases; the fusion rate was 92.68%; the discrepancy in the fusion rates among the both groups was highly meaningful (P <0.05). Conclusion Patients with degenerative scoliosis can considerably minimize operation duration and intraoperative blood loss by undergoing TLIF with a single port endoscope and can relieve postoperative pain and improve spinal function. At the same time, it can improve lumbar function, treat lumbar deformity, and enhance patients' quality of living.