Objectives: To retrospectively analyze the causes of and factors influencing early recurrence after percutaneous endoscopic transforaminal discectomy (PTED) performed in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation. Methods: We included 285 patients with single-segment lumbar disc herniation treated using PTED from January 2017 to December 2019 at the First Affiliated Hospital of the University of South China. Patients were classified into early recurrence and nonearly recurrence groups based on clinical symptoms and MRI reexamination. Some imaging data were analyzed, and logistic regression was used for multivariate analysis of factors associated with early recurrence after PTED. Results: A total of 285 patients completed surgery and clinical follow-up, during which 19 patients relapsed within 6 months postsurgery, for an early recurrence rate of 6.7%, the mean recurrence time was 73.4 days (3–168 days). Differences in the disc-height index (DHI), base width, postoperative annulus-fibrosus tear size, degree of intervertebral disc degeneration, herniation sites, cross-sectional area of the foramen (CSAF) and degree of modic change between the early recurrence and nonearly recurrence groups were statistically significant (P<0.05). CSAF, degree of modic change and base width of the herniation were significantly correlated with early recurrence after PTED. Conclusions: DHI, postoperative annulus-fibrosus tear size, disc degeneration, and location of the disc herniation were associated with early recurrence after PTED. Increased base width of the herniation and modic change were risk factors for early recurrence after PTED, increased CSAF were protective factors for early recurrence after PTED .