Abstract
Dear Editor,
The paper titled “Is Endoscopic Surgery a Safe and Effective Treatment for Lumbar Disc Herniation? A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials” authored by Cai et al in 2024, synthesizes findings from randomized controlled trials to evaluate the impact of endoscopic Surgery on lumbar disc herniation. 1 Despite the thorough methodology, certain aspects of the manuscript could benefit from further refinement during the revision process.
Firstly, the authors documented in their methodology that they identified their studies across several databases of a study that was published on December 25, 2023. In fact, since the manuscript was actually accepted on November 4, 2024, this means that the literature search was finished well in advance of the date of acceptance. In order to follow the best practice of systematic reviews, it was necessary to expand the search to capture further additional new studies published since December 2023.
Finally, the authors exploring complication rates incorporated the results of 4 double-zero studies. However, this combination may pose serious problems. Due to the lack of valid data in these studies, their inclusion may distort the overall effect estimates and confidence intervals. It is recommended that double-zero studies be excluded to maintain the accuracy and reliability of the meta-analysis results. In addition, we have found a small error. The registration code for this article should be INPLASY202410095 instead of INPLASY2022410095.
In conclusion, appreciation is extended to Cai and his team for their valuable insights in this area. It is anticipated that by integrating the suggestions provided, the authors will further solidify the robustness and dependability of their research outcomes.
