Abstract:【Abstract】 Objective To investigate the early effectiveness and safety of minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MISTLIF) in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation combined with lumbar instability and improve the theoretical and practical basis for the choice of clinical surgical treatment options. Methods Between June 2014 and December 2016, 44 patients with singlelevel lumbar disc herniation accompanied by lumbar instability underwent MISTLIF (MISTLIF group, 21 cases) and openTLIF in (openTLIF group, 23 cases). The clinical data were retrospectively analyzed. The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative drainage volume, length of incision, postoperative down time, postoperative hospitalization time, and postoperative complications, visual analogue scale (VAS) before and after the surgery,as well as Oswestry disability index (ODI) and Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) were compared for the patients in two groups. Results The intraoperative blood loss, postoperative drainage volume, length of incision, postoperative down time, postoperative hospitalization time, and VAS, ODI, and JOA scores at day 3 after surgery of MISTLIF group were obviously better than that of open TLIF group in (P<005). No difference was found in operation time between the 2 groups (P>005). The VAS score in the MISTLIF group at month 3 was better than that in the open TLIF group (P<005), and no significant differences were found in the ODI and JOA scores at this time point after surgery (P>005). At sixth months after operation, there were no significant differences in VAS, ODI and JOA scores between the two groups (P>005). In the open TLIF group, there was 1 case of dural tear associated with postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leakage, and 1 case had poor healing of the incision. There was 1 case of dura mater laceration in the MISTLIF group, no cerebrospinal fluid leakage, and 1 case of root ganglion irritation after operation. There were no severe complications, such as neurological injuries, intervertebral space infection, pedicle screw breakage, loosening, and displacement of bone graft. There was no significant difference between the two groups in the complication rate (P>005). Conclusion Through the study on the early clinical effects, MISTLIF, which is characterized by minimal invasion, less blood loss, and quick recovery after operation, may receive the same curative effect as the traditional open TLIF in treating the lumbar disc herniation combined with lumbar instability, and it is a safe and effective surgical procedure.