Early-stage lumbar paraspinal muscle injury: endoscopic versus transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion: a retrospective comparative analysis

Compared with TLIF, Endo-LIF demonstrated relatively early back pain relief, reduced intraoperative blood loss, shorter hospital stays, and lower levels of acute muscle injury markers. These potential benefits were counterbalanced by longer operative durations and greater reliance on fluoroscopy. Both approaches achieved largely comparable long-term functional outcomes with similar safety profiles. Paraspinal muscle CSA measurements suggested a comparatively lesser degree of early muscle injury with Endo-LIF versus TLIF.