To evaluate the effect of percutaneous transforaminal spinal endoscopy in the treatment of senile degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis in elderly patients.

A total of 56 elderly patients with degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis admitted to Meishan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine during January 2019 and February 2020 were enrolled in the study. 28 patients treated with traditional interlaminar fenestration decompression (control group), and the other 28 patients were was treated with percutaneous transforaminal spinal endoscopy (observation group). Patients in both groups were followed up for 6 months. The operation situation, clinical efficacy, lumbar function and low back pain scores were compared between the two groups. T test and Chi-square test were used for comparing the difference of measurement data and enumeration data, respectively.

Compared with the control group, the operation time and hospital stay in the observation group were shorter, and the length of surgical incision was shorter (t=6.176、8.885、18.670, P < 0.05). The total effective rate of observation group (85.71%) was higher than that of control group (67.86%) (χ²=3.914, P < 0.05). Oswestry dability index and Visual analogue scale scores decreased in both groups 1 day and 6 months after operation (P < 0.05), and the scores in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05).

Compared with traditional interlaminar decompression, percutaneous transforaminal endoscopy spine technique can shorten operation time and hospital stay, restore the lumbar function and relieve pain in elderly patients with degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis.