Abstract:[Objective] To compare clinical efficacy of unilateral biportal endoscopic discectomy (UBE) versus minimally invasive tubu- lar discectomy (MITD) for single-segment intervertebral disc herniation. [Methods] A retrospective study was done on 166 patients who un- derwent minimally invasive lumbar discectomy for single-level disc protrusion in our hospital from August 2020 to August 2021. According to preoperative doctor-patient communication, 50 patients were treated with UBE, while the remaining 116 patients received MITD. Periop- erative, follow-up and imaging data were compared between the two groups. [Results] Although the UBE consumed significantly longer oper- ation time than the MITD group [(107.9±19.0) min vs (63.2±11.0) min, P<0.05], the former proved significantly less than the latter in terms of incision length [(2.0±0.2) cm vs (2.8 ± 0.3) cm, P<0.05], intraoperative fluoroscopy times [(2.7±0.8) vs (3.2±1.1) times, P<0.05], intraopera- tive blood loss [(30.8±15.6) ml vs (42.0±22.3) ml, P<0.05], and hospital stay [(8.7±2.1) days vs (10.2±3.9) days, P<0.05]. There was no signif- icant difference in postoperative ambulation time and incision healing grade between the two groups (P>0.05). All the patients in both groups were followed up for (15.7±3.5) months on a mean, and there was no significant difference in the time to resume full weight-bearing activities between the two groups (P>0.05). The VAS scores both for lower back pain and leg pain, as well as ODI score decreased significantly in both groups with time (P<0.05), which was not statistically significant between the two groups at any time points accordingly (P>0.05). With re- gard to imaging, the height of intervertebral space and the percentage of vertebral canal occupying area significantly reduced in both groups at 1 month, 6 months and the last follow-up after surgery compared with those preoperatively (P<0.05), whereas which proved not significant- ly different between the two groups at the corresponding time points (P>0.05). [Conclusion] The UBE used in the treatment of single-level lumbar disc disease does achieve similar clinical efficacy as MITD. By contrast, the UBE has less trauma, fewer intraoperative fluoroscopy, and further shortened hospital stay.