Soft disc herniation in patients with lumbar stenosis.

Over a period of 25 years, a surgical technique has evolved for removal of a soft disc herniation in patients with sciatica and lumbar stenosis demonstrated on neuroradiological studies. Initially emphasis was placed on decompression of the entire narrow spinal canal when there was evidence of single nerve root involvement and no history of neurogenic claudication. The author has performed 12 microsurgical discectomies since 1984 and eight percutaneous endoscopic discectomies over the past 6 years that have been successful in relieving radiculitis and radiculopathy in cases of a single herniated nucleus pulposus, even in the presence of a stenotic canal. No patient complained of generalized numbness, weakness, or pain in the lower extremities while walking. After at least 1 year of follow up, the 20 patients who underwent microsurgical or arthroscopic procedures limited to removing the ruptured disc have not required more extensive decompression.