Abstract: Objective   To analyze and compare the clinical efficacy of two different lumbar interbody fusion techniques under microendoscope in the treatment of single level lumbar degenerative diseases. Methods    A total of 136 patients who met the criteria in our hospital from December 2020 to December 2023 were selected for retrospective study. Seventy-five patients received microendoscopic tranforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (ME-TLIF) and 61 patients received microendoscopic posterior lumbar interbody fusion (ME-PLIF). The perioperative data and the incidence of neurological complications were compared between the two groups. Pain (VAS) and function (ODI) scores within and between groups were compared before and after surgery. Suk criteria were used to evaluate postoperative fusion.   Results   The indexes of intraoperative blood loss, postoperative drainage volume and operation time in ME-PLIF group were better than those in ME-TLIF group. There were 3 cases of neurological complications in the ME-PLIF group and no neurological complications in the ME-TLIF group. Postoperative VAS and ODI scores in the same group were significantly different from those before surgery (P<0.05); Postoperative VAS and ODI scores were not significantly changed between groups (P>0.05). There was no difference in the fusion rate between the two groups at the last follow-up.  Conclusions  ME-PLIF technique has more advantages in reducing operation time, intraoperative and postoperative blood loss, and is easier to learn and master. During the operation, attention should be paid to adequate lateral decompression to prevent the occurrence of neurological complications.

Key words: Microendoscope,  ,  , Minimally invasive,  ,  , Posterior lumbar fusion,  ,  , Transforaminal lumbar fusion,  ,  , Degenerative disease