Automated percutaneous discectomy in herniated lumbar discs treatment: experience after the first 200 cases.

Two hundred patients presenting lumbo-sacral radicular pain were treated with automated percutaneous discectomy and were divided into two groups, on the ground of their symptomatology: group A included those patients that, otherwise, would undergo conservative therapy, because of their moderate pain; group B gathered patients whose severe pain needed undelayed surgery. The success rate that we reported in group A was 85%, while, in group B, it was 64%. Recurrences needing open surgery occurred in 15% of group B. Although characterized by delayed recovery, this technique seems to have good results even in so called surgical patients, in comparison with open surgery.