Abstract

Background. Percutaneous diskectomy has been used effectively to treat lumbar disk herniation. The purpose of this review was to determine whether transcutaneous diskectomy is an effective surgical option for treating lumbar internal disk derangement.

Methods. Comprehensive retrospective review via personal interview included 103 consecutive patients available for long-term follow-up. For determining results as excellent, good, fair, or poor, the criteria included subjective relief of back and/or leg pain, ability to perform preinjury job functions, residual physical restrictions, use of medications, and need for subsequent surgery. Factors affecting results were statistically analyzed.

Results. The overall success rate was 83%, with no statistically significant differences in results based on sex, workers' compensation status, or levels of diskectomy.

Conclusions. The favorable results from this series illustrate the high success rate of transcutaneous lumbar diskectomy in a heterogeneous patient population. Coupling the rate of success with a low rate of complications, transcutaneous lumbar diskectomy appears to be an effective, minimally invasive treatment for internal disk derangement.