Clinical Analysis of the Automated Percutaneous Discectomy

A retrospective study was performed in order to evaluate the efficacy of automated percutaneous discectomy in lumbar disc herniations that were treated in our institute between May, 1992 and December, 1994. Of the 68 patients that were followed up for 12 weeks, the success rate was 82% according to Onik classification. No serious complications, vascular or nerve damage and discitis, were noted except transient postoperative muscular spasms. The results of this study indicates that automated percutaneous discectomy can be used successfully to treat lumbar disc herniations with minimal morbidity and also emphasized the need for proper patient selection prior to performing the automated percutaneous discectomy.