ObjectiveTo explore the clinical efficacy of percutaneous endoscopic interlaminar discectomy (PEID) and interlaminar fenestration discectomy in the treatment of lumbar (L) 5-Sacral (S) 1 lumbar disc herniation (LDH).MethodsLDH patients were retrospectively included from January 2016 to Januray 2018. And the patients were divided into the PEID group and the fenestration group according to their choice of different surgical methods. The operation time, intra-operative blood loss, and bed rest time in the two groups were recorded. The preoperative and postoperative [1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and last follow-up (>12 months)] Visual Analogue Score (VAS) of the lumbago and leg pain between the two groups were compared; the preoperative and postoperative [1 week, and last follow-up (>12 months)] Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and also the postoperative [(>12 months)] therapeutic effect (modified MacNab) between the two groups were compared.ResultsA total of 66 patients were included, with 31 in the PEID group and 35 in the fenestration group. There was no significant difference in age, gender and course of disease between the two groups (P>0.05). There were leakage of cerebrospinal fluid and transient lumbago, leg pain and numbness, which were worse than those before operation in the PEID group (1 and 1 patient, respectively) and the fenestration group (2 and 3 patients, respectively). There were statistically significant differences between the PEID group and the fenestration group, in the operative time [(90.65±9.98) vs. (66.23±16.50) minutes], intra-operative blood loss [(51.77±18.64) vs. (184.29±78.38) mL], and bed time [(2.87±0.92) vs. (7.49±1.20) d] (t=−7.365, t’=−9.697, t=−17.374, P<0.001). There was no significant difference in the preoperative VAS score (lumbar-leg pain) and ODI index, and the ODI index at each postoperative time point, between the two groups (P>0.05). VAS score (lumbago) and VAS score (leg pain) in the PEID group at each postoperative time point were lower than those in the fenestration group (P<0.05); VAS scores (leg pain) at other time points were not statistically significant between the two groups (P > 0.05). VAS (lumbar-leg pain) score and ODI index at each postoperative time point were lower than those before the surgery. The was no statistically significant difference in the PEID group (90.32%) and fenestration group (85.71%) in the excellent rate (χ2=0.328, P=0.713).ConclusionsPEID has less surgical trauma, less bleeding, short bed rest, fast recovery, and better relief of postoperative lumbago symptoms. It is worthy of further promotion in clinical work.