Clinical experience with automated percutaneous lumbar discectomy.

Percutaneous automated aspiration discectomy is a new procedure for treating uncomplicated herniated lumbar discs. In a series of 200 patients, followed for up to six months, the overall success rate was 77.5%. Workers' compensation claimants, elderly patients, and patients with previous surgery can be treated successfully using percutaneous discectomy. Patients were treated on an outpatient basis. Patients returned to work significantly sooner after percutaneous discectomy than after microdiscectomy or laminectomy. No intraoperative or postoperative complications occurred.