Abstract:Objective: To evaluate the mid-term clinical effect of endoscopic decompression and open decompression and fixation fusion in the treatment of young obese lumbar disc herniation. Methods: From January 2015 to June 2017, the patients who were diagnosed as lumbar disc herniation in pain medical center and spine group of orthopedics department of our hospital were analyzed retrospectively. The age of 18-45 years old, BMI ≥ 28 kg / m2, and surgical treatment for lumbar disc herniation were included as the criteria. The patients were divided into endoscopic group (62 cases) and open group (25 cases). The visual analog scale (VAS), the time to return to work, the MacNab score and the rate of reoperation were used as the evaluation indexes. The differences between the two groups were analyzed and the clinical effects were compared. Results: The average back to work time of Endoscopy Group was 3.21 ± 6.25 months. The results of MacNab : (50 excellent, 5 good, 1 fair, 6 poor), the excellent rate was 80.65%. In the open group, the mean time of back to work time was 5.73 ± 4.22 months. The results of MacNab : (20 excellent, 4 good, 0 fair, 1 poor), the excellent rate was 80.00%. One patient received open surgery (reoperation rate 4%) because of symptom recurrence. There was no significant difference in the MacNab score between the two groups (P > 0.05). There was a significant difference in the time of returning to work (P < 0.05). There was a significant difference in the time of recurrence (P < 0.05). The VAS score of the two groups was significantly lower than that before operation. Conclusion: The recurrence rate of young obese patients with lumbar disc herniation who accept endoscopic operation is higher than who accept open decompression fixation and fusion surgery, The clinical effect of those two operations are equivalent. The recovery time of patients after the endoscopic operation is shorter, and the patients can return to work and restore their social roles faster.