Abstract:Objective To investigate the efficacy and safety of unilateral biportal endoscopic transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (UBE-TLIF), minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS-TLIF), and posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) in patients with lumbar disc degenerative change.Methods The medical records of 101 patients with lumbar disc degenerative change who underwent surgical treatment in our hospital from January 2019 to December 2022 were retrospectively collected, and they were divided into UBE-TLIF group (37 cases), MIS-TLIF group (33 cases) and PLIF group (31 cases) according to types of operation. The operation related indexes, visual analogue scale (VAS), dysfunction and postoperative complications of the three groups were compared. The height of the intervertebral space and the lumbar lordosis angle were measured before and after surgery. Interbody fusion 12 months after surgery were evaluated via Bridwell criteria.Results The duration of operation of UBE-TLIF group was significantly longer than that of MIS-TLIF group and PLIF group, and MIS-TLIF group was significantly longer than that of PLIF group, the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05); The intraoperative blood loss and postoperative drainage volume in the UBE-TLIF group were significantly less than those in the MIS-TLIF group and PLIF group, and the MIS-TLIF group was significantly less than that in the PLIF group, the postoperative hospital stay in the UBE-TLIF group was significantly shorter than that in the MIS-TLIF group and PLIF group, and the MIS-TLIF group was significantly shorter than that in the PLIF group, the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05); The VAS of low back pain and leg pain at 1, 3, and 12 months after operation in the 3 groups were significantly lower than those before operation (P < 0.05); The VAS of low back pain and leg pain at 1 and 3 months after operation in the UBE-TLIF group was significantly lower than that in the MIS-TLIF group and the PLIF group, and the VAS of low back pain and leg pain in the MIS-TLIF group was significantly lower than that in the PLIF group (P < 0.05); The Oswestry disability index (ODI) at 1, 3 and 12 months after operation in the 3 groups was significantly lower than that before operation, and the ODI in UBE-TLIF group was significantly lower than that in MIS-TLIF group and PLIF group at 1 month after operation, the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05); The intervertebral space height and lumbar lordosis angle at 1, 3, and 12 months after operation were significantly bigger than those before operation in 3 groups (P < 0.05); At 12 months after operation, the intervertebral fusion rates of UBE-TLIF group, MIS-TLIF group and PLIF group were 94.59%, 93.94% and 93.55%, respectively, showing no significant difference among the 3 groups (P > 0.05); The interbody fusion time in UBE-TLIF group and MIS-TLIF group was significantly shorter than that in PLIF group (P < 0.05); There was no significant difference in the incidence of complications among the three groups (P > 0.05).Conclusion UBE-TLIF, MIS-TLIF and PLIF can all achieve a higher interbody fusion rate in treating lumbar disc degenerative change, and UBE-TLIF and MIS-TLIF cause less serious surgical trauma, while UBE-TLIF outperforms MIS-TLIF in respect of surgical trauma, and sees faster postoperative recovery.