DOI: https://doi.org/10.36347/sjams.2026.v14i03.017

Pages: 422-427

Background: Lumbar disc herniation is a common cause of low back pain and radiculopathy that often requires surgical intervention when conservative management fails. Endoscopic lumbar discectomy has emerged as a minimally invasive alternative to conventional open discectomy. This study aimed to compare the clinical outcomes of endoscopic versus open lumbar discectomy in patients with single-level lumbar disc herniation. Methods: This comparative observational study was conducted at the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Department of Neurosurgery of Rangpur Medical College Hospital, Rangpur, Bangladesh, and other Private Hospitals of Rangpur City of Bangladesh, from 01 January 2025 to 31 December 2025. A total of 50 patients with single-level lumbar disc herniation undergoing surgical treatment were included. Patients were divided into two groups: endoscopic lumbar discectomy (n=25) and open lumbar discectomy (n=25). Results: The majority of patients were aged 31–50 years (60.0%) and male (62.0%). The most common level of disc herniation was L4–L5 (50.0%), followed by L5–S1 (36.0%). The endoscopic discectomy group showed significantly shorter operative time (68.4±10.6 vs 86.9±12.3 minutes), lower intraoperative blood loss (54.7±15.8 vs 128.5±26.1 ml), shorter hospital stay (2.3±0.9 vs 4.8±1.4 days) and earlier return to work (3.6±1.2 vs 6.7±1.8 weeks) compared with the open discectomy group (p<0.001). Excellent outcomes were observed in 52.0% of endoscopic cases and 36.0% of open cases, though the overall clinical outcome did not differ significantly (p=0.48). Conclusion: Endoscopic lumbar discectomy provides favorable perioperative outcomes with comparable clinical results to open discectomy, making it an effective minimally invasive option for single-level lumbar disc herniation.