Percutaneous diskectomy for lumbar disk herniation. A preliminary report.

Percutaneous diskectomy is a new method for reducing lumbar disk herniation. This procedure is simple, safe, and only semiinvasive since it causes no direct damage to the dura or nerve roots. This technique employs a nucleotome (blunt-tipped, suction-cutting probe) with a rotating electric shaver (3 mm in diameter) that was specially developed for this procedure. It was applied to 117 patients with lumbar disk herniation whose sciatica had not been relieved by conservative treatments. The results of the technique were considered effective in 94 patients (80.3%). The improvements were even more marked in patients with protrusion or prolapse type herniation. Reviewed with postoperative examinations using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), excision of the herniated disk, resulting in decompression of the nerve root, may be correlated with the relief of symptoms.