Can lumbar foramenoscopy injure the sciatic nerve?

Lumbar foramenoscopic surgery rarely injures the sciatic nerve. Lumbar disc foramenoscopy surgery is actually what is known as an intervertebral foramenoscopy technique, which is a procedure that utilizes an endoscopic system to access through the body’s intervertebral foramina to deal with herniated and degenerated disc tissue. The beginning segmental end of the sciatic nerve is formed by the confluence of the lumbar 4~5 nerves and sacral 1~sacral 3 nerve roots. Therefore, there is a risk of injury to the sciatic nerve during the operation of the intervertebral foramen when dealing with the lumbar 4/5 and lumbar 5 sacral 1 intervertebral discs. However, since the diameter of the intervertebral foramenoscopic operation channel is 7 mm, the sciatic nerve is basically unaffected by the operation in the larger intervertebral foramen, in addition to the intervertebral foramen enlargement that is sometimes performed. There will be lower limb discomfort after lumbar foramenoscopy, which may be affected by intraoperative radiofrequency and high water pressure perfusion, and can be basically disappeared after a period of recovery.