Table 1.
The 100 Most-Cited Articles on Endoscopic Spine Surgery.
| Rank | First author | Year | Title | Journal | No. of citations | No. of citations per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A. T. Yeung | 2002 | Posterolateral endoscopic excision for lumbar disc herniation. Surgical technique, outcome, and complications in 307 consecutive cases | Spine | 263 | 15.5 |
| 2 | S. Ruetten | 2008 | Full-endoscopic interlaminar and transforaminal lumbar discectomy versus conventional microsurgical technique | Spine | 227 | 20.6 |
| 3 | P. C. McAfee | 1995 | The incidence of complications in endoscopic anterior thoracolumbar spinal reconstructive surgery a prospective multicenter study comprising the first 100 consecutive cases | Spine | 219 | 9.1 |
| 4 | H. M. Mayer | 1993 | Percutaneous endoscopic discectomy: surgical technique and preliminary results compared to microsurgical discectomy | Journal of Neurosurgery | 216 | |
| 5 | A. B. Kassam | 2005 | The expanded endonasal approach: a full endoscopic transnasal approach and resection of the odontoid process: technical case report | Neurosurgery | 197 | 14.1 |
| 6 | L. T. Khoo | 2002 | Microendoscopic decompressive laminotomy for the treatment of lumbar stenosis | Neurosurgery | 175 | 10.3 |
| 7 | R. E. Isaacs | 2005 | Minimally invasive microendoscopy-assisted transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion with instrumentation | Journal of Neurosurgery-Spine | 158 | 11.3 |
| 8 | S. D. Boden | 1998 | Laparoscopic anterior spinal arthrodesis with rhBMP-2 in a titanium interbody threaded cage | Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques | 156 | 7.4 |
| 9 | J. J. Regan | 1999 | Laparoscopic fusion of the lumbar spine: minimally invasive spine surgery. A prospective multicenter study evaluating open and laparoscopic lumbar fusion | Spine | 150 | 7.5 |
| 10 | B. H. Guiot | 2002 | A minimally invasive technique for decompression of the lumbar spine | Spine | 140 | 8.2 |
| 11 | D. Rosenthal | 1994 | Removal of a protruded thoracic disc using microsurgical endoscopy. A new technique | Spine | 133 | 5.3 |
| 12 | P. C. McAfee | 1998 | Minimally invasive anterior retroperitoneal approach to the lumbar spine. Emphasis on the lateral BAK | Spine | 130 | 6.2 |
| 13 | R. G. Fessler | 2002 | Minimally invasive cervical microendoscopic foraminotomy: an initial clinical experience | Neurosurgery | 125 | 7.4 |
| 14 | T. E. Adamson | 2001 | Microendoscopic posterior cervical laminoforaminotomy for unilateral radiculopathy: results of a new technique in 100 cases | Journal of Neurosurgery-Spine | 121 | 6.7 |
| 15 | T. J. Huang | 2005 | Less systemic cytokine response in patients following microendoscopic versus open lumbar discectomy | Journal of Orthopaedic Research | 119 | 8.5 |
| 16 | Y. Ahn | 2004 | Percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy for recurrent disc herniation: surgical technique, outcome, and prognostic factors of 43 consecutive cases | Spine | 115 | 7.7 |
| 17 | J. F. Zucherman | 1995 | Instrumented laparoscopic spinal fusion. Preliminary results | Spine | 113 | 4.7 |
| 18 | J. J. Regan | 1995 | A technical report on video-assisted thoracoscopy in thoracic spinal surgery. Preliminary description | Spine | 110 | 4.6 |
| 19 | S. Ruetten | 2007 | Use of newly developed instruments and endoscopes: full-endoscopic resection of lumbar disc herniations via the interlaminar and lateral transforaminal approach | Journal of Neurosurgery-Spine | 109 | 9.1 |
| 20 | P. O. Newton | 1997 | Anterior release and fusion in pediatric spinal deformity. A comparison of early outcome and cost of thoracoscopic and open thoracotomy approaches | Spine | 104 | 4.7 |
| 21 | S. Ruetten | 2008 | Full-endoscopic cervical posterior foraminotomy for the operation of lateral disc herniations using 5.9-mm endoscopes: a prospective, randomized, controlled study | Spine | 104 | 9.5 |
| 22 | T. A. Zdeblick | 2000 | A prospective comparison of surgical approach for anterior L4-L5 fusion: laparoscopic versus mini anterior lumbar interbody fusion | Spine | 104 | 5.5 |
| 23 | L. T. Khoo | 2002 | Minimally invasive percutaneous posterior lumbar interbody fusion | Neurosurgery | 102 | 6.0 |
| 24 | B. W. Cunningham | 1999 | Osteogenic protein versus autologous interbody arthrodesis in the sheep thoracic spine. A comparative endoscopic study using the Bagby and Kuslich interbody fusion device | Spine | 101 | 5.1 |
| 25 | T. Hoogland | 2006 | Transforaminal posterolateral endoscopic discectomy with or without the combination of a low-dose chymopapain: a prospective randomized study in 280 consecutive cases | Spine | 99 | 7.6 |
| 26 | X. Wu | 2006 | Microendoscopic discectomy for lumbar disc herniation: surgical technique and outcome in 873 consecutive cases | Spine | 97 | 7.5 |
| 27 | M. G. Kaiser | 2002 | Comparison of the mini-open versus laparoscopic approach for anterior lumbar Interbody fusion: a retrospective review | Neurosurgery | 95 | 5.6 |
| 28 | S. Ruetten | 2005 | An extreme lateral access for the surgery of lumbar disc herniations inside the spinal canal using the full-endoscopic uniportal transforaminal approach-technique and prospective results of 463 patients | Spine | 93 | 6.6 |
| 29 | N. Anand | 2002 | Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for thoracic disc disease: classification and outcome study of 100 consecutive cases with a 2-year minimum follow-up period | Spine | 88 | 5.2 |
| 30 | S. Ruetten | 2009 | Recurrent lumbar disc herniation after conventional discectomy: a prospective, randomized study comparing full-endoscopic Interlaminar and transforaminal versus microsurgical revision | Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques | 87 | 8.7 |
| 31 | T. Hoogland | 2008 | Endoscopic transforaminal discectomy for recurrent lumbar disc herniation: a prospective, cohort evaluation of 262 consecutive cases | Spine | 86 | 7.8 |
| 32 | D. L. Bergey | 2004 | Endoscopic lateral transpsoas approach to the lumbar spine | Spine | 86 | 5.7 |
| 33 | C. A. Dickman | 1996 | Thoracic vertebrectomy and reconstruction using a microsurgical thoracoscopic approach | Neurosurgery | 86 | 3.7 |
| 34 | T. Moro | 2003 | An anatomic study of the lumbar plexus with respect to retroperitoneal endoscopic surgery | Spine | 85 | 5.3 |
| 35 | J. P. Wolinsky | 2007 | Endoscopic image-guided odontoidectomy for decompression of basilar invagination via a standard anterior cervical approach. Technical note | Journal of Neurosurgery-Spine | 85 | 7.1 |
| 36 | S. Lee | 2007 | Percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy for migrated disc herniation: classification of disc migration and surgical approaches | European Spine Journal | 84 | 7.0 |
| 37 | K. Ikuta | 2005 | Short-term results of microendoscopic posterior decompression for lumbar spinal stenosis. Technical note | Journal of Neurosurgery-Spine | 84 | 6.0 |
| 38 | J. Nellensteijn | 2010 | Transforaminal percutaneous endoscopic discectomy in the treatment of far-lateral and foraminal lumbar disc herniations | European Spine Journal | 83 | 9.2 |
| 39 | S. M. Lew | 2001 | Transforaminal endoscopic surgery for symptomatic lumbar disc herniations: a systematic review of the literature | Journal of Neurosurgery | 83 | 4.6 |
| 40 | S. H. Lee | 2006 | Operative failure of percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy: a radiologic analysis of 55 cases | Spine | 83 | 6.4 |
| 41 | P. O. Newton | 2000 | Defining the pediatric spinal thoracoscopy learning curve: sixty-five consecutive cases | Spine | 83 | 4.4 |
| 42 | G. Choi | 2008 | Percutaneous endoscopic approach for highly migrated intracanal disc herniations by foraminoplastic technique using rigid working channel endoscope | Spine | 82 | 7.5 |
| 43 | A. T. Yeung | 2000 | The evolution of percutaneous spinal endoscopy and discectomy | Mount Sinai Journal of Medicine | 82 | 4.3 |
| 44 | H. H. Mathews | 1995 | Laparoscopic discectomy with anterior lumbar interbody fusion. A preliminary review | Spine | 82 | 3.4 |
| 45 | M. Teli | 2010 | Higher risk of dural tears and recurrent herniation with lumbar micro-endoscopic discectomy | European Spine Journal | 81 | 9.0 |
| 46 | J. R. de Almeida | 2009 | Defining the nasopalatine line: the limit for endonasal surgery of the spine | Laryngoscope | 81 | 8.1 |
| 47 | L. M. Cavallo | 2007 | The extended endoscopic endonasal approach to the clivus and cranio-vertebral junction: anatomical study | Childs Nervous System | 78 | 6.5 |
| 48 | J. V. Nayak | 2007 | Experience with the expanded endonasal approach for resection of the odontoid process in rheumatoid disease | American Journal of Rhinology | 77 | 6.4 |
| 49 | S. Ruetten | 2006 | A new full-endoscopic technique for the interlaminar operation of lumbar disc herniations using 6-mm endoscopes: prospective 2-year results of 331 patients | Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery | 76 | 5.8 |
| 50 | D. Rosenthal | 1998 | Thoracoscopic microsurgical excision of herniated thoracic discs | Journal of Neurosurgery | 76 | 3.6 |
| 51 | D. Rosenthal | 1996 | Anterior decompression and stabilization using a microsurgical endoscopic technique for metastatic tumors of the thoracic spine | Journal of Neurosurgery | 76 | 3.3 |
| 52 | A. M. Nowitzke | 2005 | Assessment of the learning curve of lumbar microendoscopic discectomy | Neurosurgery | 75 | 5.4 |
| 53 | S. Ruetten | 2009 | Surgical treatment for lumbar lateral recess stenosis with the full-endoscopic interlaminar approach versus conventional microsurgical technique: a prospective, randomized, controlled study | Journal of Neurosurgery-Spine | 74 | 7.4 |
| 54 | Gun Choi | 2006 | Percutaneous endoscopic interlaminar discectomy for intracanalicular disc herniations at L5-S1 using a rigid working channel endoscope | Neurosurgery | 69 | 5.3 |
| 55 | Y. Ahn | 2003 | Posterolateral percutaneous endoscopic lumbar foraminotomy for L5-S1 foraminal or lateral exit zone stenosis. Technical note | Journal of Neurosurgery | 68 | 4.3 |
| 56 | L. T. Khoo | 2002 | Thoracoscopic-assisted treatment of thoracic and lumbar fractures: a series of 371 consecutive cases | Neurosurgery | 66 | 3.9 |
| 57 | P. Kambin | 1992 | Arthroscopic microdiscectomy | Spine Journal | 64 | 2.4 |
| 58 | D. Y. Lee | 2009 | Comparison of percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy and open lumbar microdiscectomy for recurrent disc herniation | Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society | 63 | 6.3 |
| 59 | M. Schubert | 2005 | Endoscopic transforaminal nucleotomy with foraminoplasty for lumbar disk herniation | Operative Orthopädie und Traumatologie | 63 | 4.5 |
| 60 | P. M. Tsou | 2002 | Transforaminal endoscopic decompression for radiculopathy secondary to intracanal noncontained lumbar disc herniations: outcome and technique | Spine Journal | 63 | 3.7 |
| 61 | D. A. Shin | 2008 | The efficacy of microendoscopic discectomy in reducing iatrogenic muscle injury | Journal of Neurosurgery-Spine | 61 | 5.5 |
| 62 | C. J. Baird | 2009 | Radiographic and anatomic basis of endoscopic anterior craniocervical decompression: a comparison of endonasal, transoral, and transcervical approaches | Neurosurgery | 61 | 6.1 |
| 63 | U. Schick | 2002 | Microendoscopic lumbar discectomy versus open surgery: an intraoperative EMG study | European Spine Journal | 60 | 3.5 |
| 64 | S. W. Roh | 2000 | Endoscopic foraminotomy using MED system in cadaveric specimens | Spine | 60 | 3.2 |
| 65 | P. O. Newton | 2003 | Use of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery to reduce perioperative morbidity in scoliosis surgery | Spine | 59 | 3.7 |
| 66 | Y. Ahn | 2013 | Radiation exposure to the surgeon during percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy a prospective study | Spine | 58 | 9.7 |
| 67 | B. Wang | 2011 | An evaluation of the learning curve for a complex surgical technique: the full endoscopic interlaminar approach for lumbar disc herniations | Spine Journal | 58 | 7.3 |
| 68 | S. Ruetten | 2009 | Full-endoscopic anterior decompression versus conventional anterior decompression and fusion in cervical disc herniations | International Orthopaedics | 58 | 5.8 |
| 69 | K. T. Foley | 1999 | Microendoscopic approach to far-lateral lumbar disc herniation | Neurosurgical Focus | 58 | 2.9 |
| 70 | J. J. Regan | 1996 | Laparoscopic fusion of the lumbar spine in a multicenter series of the first 34 consecutive patients | Surgical Laparoscopy & Endoscopy | 57 | 2.5 |
| 71 | G. Choi | 2007 | Percutaneous endoscopic discectomy for extraforaminal lumbar disc herniations: extraforaminal targeted fragmentectomy technique using working channel endoscope | Spine | 56 | 4.7 |
| 72 | E. J. Wall | 2005 | Endoscopic mechanical spinal hemiepiphysiodesis modifies spine growth | Spine | 56 | 4.0 |
| 73 | J. J. Regan | 1999 | Laparoscopic approach to L4-L5 for interbody fusion using BAK cages: experience in the first 58 cases | Spine | 56 | 2.8 |
| 74 | R. Sasaoka | 2006 | Objective assessment of reduced invasiveness in MED | European Spine Journal | 56 | 4.3 |
| 75 | H. Nakagawa | 2003 | Microendoscopic discectomy (MED) for lumbar disc prolapse | Journal of Clinical Neuroscience | 55 | 3.4 |
| 76 | D. Y. Lee | 2008 | Learning curve for percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy | Neurologia Medico-Chirurgica | 55 | 5.0 |
| 77 | J. S. Jang | 2006 | Transforaminal percutaneous endoscopic discectomy in the treatment of foraminal and extraforaminal lumbar disc herniations | Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques | 54 | 4.2 |
| 78 | H. H. Mathews | 1996 | Transforaminal endoscopic microdiscectomy | Neurosurgery Clinics of North America | 54 | 2.3 |
| 79 | S. H. Lee | 2006 | Comparative radiologic evaluation of percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy and open microdiscectomy: a matched cohort analysis | Mount Sinai Journal of Medicine | 53 | 4.1 |
| 80 | F. Asgarzadie | 2007 | Minimally invasive operative management for lumbar spinal stenosis: overview of early and long-term outcomes | Orthopedic Clinics of North America | 52 | 4.3 |
| 81 | D. A. Ditsworth | 1998 | Endoscopic transforaminal lumbar discectomy and reconfiguration: a postero-lateral approach into the spinal canal | Surgical Neurology | 52 | 2.5 |
| 82 | S. Ruetten | 2007 | A new full-endoscopic technique for cervical posterior foraminotomy in the treatment of lateral disc herniations using 6.9-mm endoscopes: prospective 2-year results of 87 patients | Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery | 50 | 4.2 |
| 83 | J. Destandau | 1999 | A special device for endoscopic surgery of lumbar disc herniation | Neurological Research | 50 | 2.5 |
| 84 | H.T. Hsu | 2013 | Learning curve of full-endoscopic lumbar discectomy | European Spine Journal | 49 | 8.2 |
| 85 | B. W. Cunningham | 1998 | Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery versus open thoracotomy for anterior thoracic spinal fusion. A comparative radiographic, biomechanical, and histologic analysis in a sheep model | Spine | 49 | 2.3 |
| 86 | J. J. Regan | 1997 | Endoscopic techniques in spinal surgery | Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research | 48 | 2.2 |
| 87 | P. C. McAfee | 1995 | Anterior thoracic corpectomy for spinal cord decompression performed endoscopically | Surgical Laparoscopy & Endoscopy | 48 | 2.0 |
| 88 | K. Muramatsu | 2001 | Postoperative magnetic resonance imaging of lumbar disc herniation: comparison of microendoscopic discectomy and Love’s method | Spine | 47 | 2.6 |
| 89 | Y. Ahn | 2012 | Transforaminal percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy: technical tips to prevent complications | Expert Review of Medical Devices | 47 | 6.7 |
| 90 | E. Escobar | 2003 | Video-assisted versus open anterior lumbar spine fusion surgery: a comparison of four techniques and complications in 135 patients | Spine | 47 | 2.9 |
| 91 | M. Ito | 2007 | Clinical outcome of posterolateral endoscopic surgery for pyogenic spondylodiscitis: results of 15 patients with serious comorbid conditions | Spine | 46 | 3.8 |
| 92 | P. M. Tsou | 2004 | Posterolateral transforaminal selective endoscopic discectomy and thermal annuloplasty for chronic lumbar discogenic pain: a minimal access visualized intradiscal surgical procedure | Spine Journal | 46 | 3.1 |
| 93 | K. Parikh | 2008 | Operative results and learning curve: microscope-assisted tubular microsurgery for 1- and 2-level discectomies and laminectomies | Neurosurgical Focus | 45 | 4.1 |
| 94 | A. T. Yeung | 2003 | Advances in endoscopic disc and spine surgery: foraminal approach | Surgical Technology International | 45 | 2.8 |
| 95 | T. G. Burke | 2000 | Microendoscopic posterior cervical foraminotomy: a cadaveric model and clinical application for cervical radiculopathy | Journal of Neurosurgery | 44 | 2.3 |
| 96 | K. C. Choi | 2015 | Unsuccessful percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy: a single-center experience of 10 228 cases | Neurosurgery | 44 | 11.0 |
| 97 | V. A. Morera | 2010 | Far-medial expanded endonasal approach to the inferior third of the clivus: the transcondylar and transjugular tubercle approaches | Neurosurgery | 44 | 4.9 |
| 98 | H. Wang | 2004 | Learning curve for percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy depending on the surgeon’s training level of minimally invasive spine surgery | Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery | 44 | 2.9 |
| 99 | G. D. Picetti III | 2013 | Thoracoscopic techniques for the treatment of scoliosis: early results in procedure development | Neurosurgery | 44 | 7.3 |
| 100 | K. M. Eichholz | 2002 | Thoracic microendoscopic discectomy | Journal of Neurosurgery-Spine | 44 | 2.6 |