| Mechanical profile |
OD: 6 mm; WC: 2.7 mm; angle: 20° |
OD: 6.9 mm; WC: 4.2 mm; angle: 25° |
OD: 9–10 mm; WC: 5.5 mm; angle: 12–20° |
| Essential working instruments |
Trephine, grasping forcep, RF bipolar probe |
Endoscopic burr 3.0–4.0 mm; Kerrison punch 4.0 mm |
Endoscopic burr 4.5–5.5 mm; Kerrison punch 4.5–5.5 mm |
| Indication |
Discectomy; non-migrated or low-grade migrated disc; mainly L5–S1 or some L4–5 disc herniation |
Lateral recess decompression; discectomy (all level); interlaminar contralateral foraminotomy |
ULBD; lateral recess decompression |
| Advantage |
Less injury to normal structures; directly pass through interlaminar window |
Bony resection is feasible; most versatile application |
Efficient in bony work; good resolution of visualization |
| Limitation |
Lack of instruments for bony work; only for discectomy at lower lumbar level |
Time consuming while conducting wide laminotomy |
Limited movement of endoscope in lateral epidural space |
