Objective To explore the efficacy of oblique lateral interbody fusion (OLIF) and transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) in treatment of lumbar instability with lumbar disc herniation.Methods 87 patients with lumbar instability and lumbar disc herniation were selected from September 2017 to August 2019. They were divided into OLIF group and TLIF group. There were 44 cases in OLIF group and 43 cases in TLIF group. The patients in OLIF group were operated by spinal endoscopy assisted OLIF, and the patients in TLIF group were operated by spinal endoscopy assisted TLIF. The visual analogue scale (VAS), Oswestry dysfunction index (ODI), imaging parameters (lumbar sagittal Cobb angle, lumbar coronal Cobb angle and apical vertebral center offset distance), initial ambulation time and hospital stay, fusion rate, collapse rate and complication rate of the two groups were compared before and after the last follow-up.Results In terms of time, there were significant differences in VAS score and ODI before operation, after operation and at the last return visit (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in VAS score and ODI between OLIF group and TLIF group before operation, after operation and at the last return visit (P > 0.05); The Cobb angle of lumbar sagittal position in OLIF group and TLIF group were greater than those before operation, and the Cobb angle of lumbar coronal position and the deviation distance of parietal vertebra center were less than those before operation (P < 0.05). The recovery of three imaging parameters in OLIF group was better than that in TLIF group (P < 0.05); The first ambulation time and hospital stay in OLIF group were significantly shorter than those in TLIF group (P < 0.05); The fusion rate of interbody fusion cage was compared between OLIF group and TLIF group; There was no significant difference (P > 0.05). The collapse rate of interbody fusion cage in OLIF group was significantly lower than that in TLIF group (P < 0.05).Conclusion Assisted by spinal endoscopy, OLIF is more effective than TLIF in treatment of lumbar instability with lumbar disc herniation, and patients can obtain better correction, it is worthy of clinical promotion and application.