To evaluate the clinical efficacy of a newly designed trajectory-assisting puncture device in transforaminal percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD).

Seventy patients who underwent PELD for prolapse of lumbar intervertebral disc at Spinal Surgery Department of Taian City Central Hospital from August 1 to December 1, 2017 were selected. They were equally and randomly divided into either a new device group or a traditional puncture group at admission. The new device group used a new device to assist the puncture, and the traditional puncture group used traditional puncture method. The times of punctures, the times of fluoroscopies, operation time, and postoperative complications of the two groups were recorded and compared.

There was no major complications in either group. The average times of punctures was 1.89±0.57 in the new device group and 4.34±1.67 in the traditional puncture group, there was a statistical difference between them (P＜0.001). The average times of fluoroscopies was 5.49±2.21 in the new device group and 10.60±3.67 in the traditional puncture group, there was a statistical difference between them (P＜0.001). The average operation time was significantly shorter in the new device group than in the traditional puncture group [(79.31±17.96) min vs (91.09±18.35) min, P=0.008].

The use of both the newly designed body surface-assisting puncture device and traditional puncture method can achieve relatively ideal clinical effects. The new puncture device can significantly reduce the times of punctures and fluoroscopies, and effectively reduce the operation time.