Flexible expansive tubular endoscopic (Flextube) spine surgery for lumbar disc herniation: a case series of 35 patients with 6-month follow-up.
- 1Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Changzheng Hospital, Navy Medical University, Shanghai, China.
- 2Department of Orthopedic, Affiliated Hospital of Gansu University of Traditional Chinese Midecine, Lanzhou, Gansu, China.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aimed to investigate the safety, efficacy, and clinical outcomes of Flexible Expansive Tubular Endoscopic (Flextube) spine surgery-a novel, non-rigid, air-medium endoscopic technique-for the treatment of single-level lumbar disc herniation (LDH).Methods
A retrospective case series was conducted on 35 consecutive patients with single-level LDH treated with Flextube surgery between January 2025 and June 2025. All procedures were performed using a flexible, atraumatic, expandable working tube. Clinical outcomes were evaluated preoperatively and at 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for back and leg pain, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and modified MacNab criteria. Perioperative parameters including operative time, blood loss, length of hospital stay, and complications were analyzed.Results
A total of 35 consecutive patients (mean age 47.2 ± 12.3 years) with single-level lumbar disc herniation underwent Flextube surgery. All patients completed the 6-month follow-up. The mean operative time was 49.3 ± 11.7 min, and mean intraoperative blood loss was 14.8 ± 6.5 mL. The mean hospital stay was 1.7 ± 0.6 days. Clinical outcomes improved significantly at each postoperative follow-up compared with baseline. VAS back, VAS leg, and ODI scores improved significantly at each follow-up time point (P < 0.05). At 6-month follow-up, the excellent-good rate was 94.3% (33/35). No major complications such as dural tear, nerve root injury, or surgical site infection occurred.Conclusion
Flextube spine surgery is a safe and feasible minimally invasive procedure for single-level LDH, with satisfactory short-term clinical outcomes and a favorable safety profile. Further studies are needed to confirm its long-term efficacy and comparative advantages.
Related
- Clinical outcomes after fully visualized transforaminal endoscopic spine surgery in patients with lumbar disc herniation stratified by paraspinal muscle degeneration: A retrospective cohort study
- A case report of pulmonary embolism following endoscopic cervical discectomy in an elderly patient with cervical disc herniation
- Comparison Between Interlaminar and Transforaminal Endoscopic Lumbar Discectomy for Sciatic Scoliosis Secondary to Lumbar Disc Herniation: A Retrospective Study With a Minimum 1 Year Follow‐Up
- Clinical outcomes of uni-portal non-coaxial spinal endoscopic surgery for severe caudally migrated lumbar disc herniation with free fragments
- Clinical efficacy of Delta large-channel endoscopy versus percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy in treating far lateral lumbar disc herniation: a retrospective study.
BibTeX
@article{wang2026flexible,
title = {{Flexible expansive tubular endoscopic (Flextube) spine surgery for lumbar disc herniation: a case series of 35 patients with 6-month follow-up.}},
author = {Zhipeng Wang and Bin Zhang and Zhishen Niu and Qi Wang and Kaiqiang Sun and Yuanzhen Li and Jiangang Shi and Jingchuan Sun},
journal = {Frontiers in surgery},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fsurg.2026.1939957},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42908809},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Flexible expansive tubular endoscopic (Flextube) spine surgery for lumbar disc herniation: a case series of 35 patients with 6-month follow-up.
AU - Zhipeng Wang
AU - Bin Zhang
AU - Zhishen Niu
AU - Qi Wang
AU - Kaiqiang Sun
AU - Yuanzhen Li
AU - Jiangang Shi
AU - Jingchuan Sun
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/07
JO - Frontiers in surgery
DO - 10.3389/fsurg.2026.1939957
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42908809
AB - Purpose This study aimed to investigate the safety, efficacy, and clinical outcomes of Flexible Expansive Tubular Endoscopic (Flextube) spine surgery-a novel, non-rigid, air-medium endoscopic technique-for the treatment of single-level lumbar disc herniation (LDH).Methods A retrospective case series was conducted on 35 consecutive patients with single-level LDH treated with Flextube surgery between January 2025 and June 2025. All procedures were performed using a flexible, atraumatic, expandable working tube. Clinical outcomes were evaluated preoperatively and at 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for back and leg pain, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and modified MacNab criteria. Perioperative parameters including operative time, blood loss, length of hospital stay, and complications were analyzed.Results A total of 35 consecutive patients (mean age 47.2 ± 12.3 years) with single-level lumbar disc herniation underwent Flextube surgery. All patients completed the 6-month follow-up. The mean operative time was 49.3 ± 11.7 min, and mean intraoperative blood loss was 14.8 ± 6.5 mL. The mean hospital stay was 1.7 ± 0.6 days. Clinical outcomes improved significantly at each postoperative follow-up compared with baseline. VAS back, VAS leg, and ODI scores improved significantly at each follow-up time point (P < 0.05). At 6-month follow-up, the excellent-good rate was 94.3% (33/35). No major complications such as dural tear, nerve root injury, or surgical site infection occurred.Conclusion Flextube spine surgery is a safe and feasible minimally invasive procedure for single-level LDH, with satisfactory short-term clinical outcomes and a favorable safety profile. Further studies are needed to confirm its long-term efficacy and comparative advantages.
SN - 2296-875X
ER -