Percutaneous discectomy using Onik's method: 3 years' experience.

A total of 234 patients treated by percutaneous discectomy at 237 levels and followed-up between 11 months and 3 years 4 months showed an overall success rate of about 75%. In a subgroup of 112 of these patients rechecked for a second time, the clinical results remain consistently good even 24 months after surgery. In a special group of 28 patients who complained only of low back pain, percutaneous discectomy achieved a success rate of 85.7%. Complications consisted of one disc infection which cleared without clinical or radiological sequelae (0.26%).