Abstract

This study aimed to delineate the comparative efficacy of Unilateral Biportal Endoscopic Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion (UBE-TLIF) and Minimally Invasive Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion (MIS-TLIF) in the management of singlesegment degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis. A retrospective analysis was conducted on cohorts of patients who underwent single-segment lumbar fusion for degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis, predominantly Meyerding Grade I-II. Patients were stratified into UBETLIF and MIS-TLIF groups. Perioperative metrics, encompassing operative duration, estimated blood loss (EBL), postoperative drainage volume, time to ambulation, length of hospital stay, and inflammatory markers, were rigorously assessed. Clinical outcomes were quantitatively evaluated utilizing the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for both axial and radicular pain, the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) scores. Radiological assessments included interbody fusion rates, lumbar lordotic angle (LLA), intervertebral disc height (IDH), segmental lordotic angle (SLA), and the degree of spondylolisthesis reduction. Incidence of complications was also subjected to comparative analysis. Both UBE-TLIF and MIS-TLIF demonstrated statistically significant improvements in pain and functional indices. UBE-TLIF evinced distinct advantages, including reduced intraoperative hemorrhage, diminished postoperative drainage volume, accelerated time to ambulation, and a truncated hospital stay, concomitant with an attenuated systemic inflammatory response. Conversely, MIS-TLIF typically presented with shorter operative durations and potentially reduced fluoroscopic exposure. Long-term alleviation of pain, functional restoration, and interbody fusion rates were found to be comparable between the two surgical modalities. Furthermore, complication rates exhibited no statistically significant disparity. In conclusion, both UBE-TLIF and MIS-TLIF represent safe and efficacious minimally invasive surgical options for the management of degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis. While UBE-TLIF confers specific perioperative advantages, MIS-TLIF may be preferentially considered due to its typically shorter operative duration. The judicious selection of either technique may be contingent upon surgeon expertise and individualized patient profiles.

Keywords

surgeon