Objective To investigate the clinical effect of percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy in patients with lumbar disc herniation and its influence on the levels of nitric oxide (NO) and superoxide dismutase (SOD).

Methods Totally, 136 patients with lumbar disc herniation diagnosed and treated from January 2017 to June 2020 were selected as research subjects. The patients were divided into two groups by the random number table method, with 68 cases in each group. The patients in the control group were treated with fenestration discectomy, and the patients in the observation group were treated with percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy. The treatment effect was evaluated one month after the operation. The Oswestry dysfunction index (ODI), visual analog scale (VAS), JOA lumbar spine score (JOA), straight leg raising angle, NO, SOD, inflammatory factors, and complication rate of patients were compared between the two groups.

Results One month after treatment, compared with the control group, the ODI and VAS scores of patients were lower in the observation group (P < 0.05), and the JOA and the angle of straight leg raising were higher in the observation group (P < 0.05); NO, SOD levels, were higher in the observation group (P < 0.05), IL-6 and hs-CRP levels were lower in the observation group (P < 0.05). NO, SOD levels were lower in the observation group 3 months after treatment (P < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the rates of postoperative infection, poor wound healing, sensory function changes, hematoma, and organ damage between the two groups.

Conclusions Compared with the fenestration discectomy, percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy could improve the lumbar function, help relieve the pain, reduce the levels of oxidative stress and inflammatory factors of the patients with lumbar disc herniation, and has high surgical safety and is worthy of promotion and application.