Percutaneous automated lumbar discectomy as it is now practiced appears to be an extremely safe procedure. One hundred fourty eight patients with lumbar disc herniation were treated with automated percutaneous lumbar discectomy (A. P. L. D.). The
postoperative results in 118 patients were evaluated at more than 3 months after the operation. Total satisfactory results was 74% ; excellent 16%, good 58%, fair 22%, poor 4% by Macnab's criteria. For further satisfactory result, more meticulous
crteria is needed. The results indicated that several prognostic factors were considered : 1) less than 30 years of age, 2) more than 4ml of aspirated disc volumn, 3) L4-5 of disc level, 4) follow up X-ray change (59%), but no CT change and
possible MRI
change.
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