ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Neurol.
Sec. Experimental Therapeutics
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fneur.2025.1673110
Clinical application of unilateral biportal endoscopic lumbar interbody fusion in lumbar degenerative diseases: a multi-center study
Provisionally accepted
Yunsheng Chen1*
Jian Wu2Qiaoxin Li3Yaohong Wu1Canhua Xu1Rongchun Chen1Jiangyou Shi1Liping Liu1Linbo Sun1Jun Xiong1- 1Ganzhou People’s Hospital, Ganzhou, China
- 2Shangyou County People’s Hospital, Ganzhou, China
- 3Quannan County People’s Hospital, Ganzhou, China
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Objective: This study endeavors to evaluate the clinical efficacy of unilateral biportal endoscopic lumbar interbody fusion (ULIF) in managing lumbar degenerative diseases (LDD) through a multi-center investigation. Methods: One hundred patients diagnosed with LDD between August 2022 and August 2024 were enrolled and allocated to either the ULIF cohort (ULIF group, n = 50) or the conventional open posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) cohort (PLIF group, n = 50). Surgical metrics (operative time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative drainage volume, and hospital duration) alongside the three-month interbody fusion rate were compared. Preoperative and postoperative pain Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores, serum inflammatory cytokine profiles (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-4), Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scores, and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores were analyzed. Postoperative complications were documented. Results: The ULIF group demonstrated a higher three-month interbody fusion rate than the PLIF group (P < 0.05). Additionally, the ULIF cohort exhibited shorter operative times, diminished intraoperative blood loss, reduced postoperative drainage, and abbreviated hospital stays compared with the PLIF group (P < 0.05). Seven-day postoperative VAS scores were lower in the ULIF group relative to the PLIF group (P < 0.05). TNF-α and IL-6 levels were lower, while IL-4 was elevated in the ULIF cohort at seven days postoperatively relative to the PLIF group (P < 0.05). JOA scores were superior and ODI scores were lower in the ULIF group at seven days and three months postoperatively versus the PLIF group (P < 0.05). No significant difference in overall postoperative complication rates was observed between groups (P > 0.05). Conclusion: ULIF enhances postoperative pain relief, functional recovery, and inflammatory resolution, while simultaneously shortening operative and hospitalization durations, minimizing intraoperative blood loss, and maintaining a favorable safety profile in LDD patients.
Keywords: Lumbar degenerative diseases, Unilateral biportal endoscopic lumbar interbody fusion, Posterior lumbar interbody fusion, Interbody fusion rate, inflammatory mediators, spinal function
Received: 25 Jul 2025; Accepted: 14 Oct 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Chen, Wu, Li, Wu, Xu, Chen, Shi, Liu, Sun and Xiong. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Yunsheng Chen, y8603015ouhe45@163.com
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