title: Automated percutaneous lumbar discectomy. An outcome study.
abstract: We treated 137 patients with symptomatic lumbar disc prolapse by automated percutaneous lumbar discectomy (APLD). Seventeen (12%) required further operation. At a mean follow-up of 55 months, the success rate was 45%. Of those who had APLD alone, 52% were graded as either excellent or good. In this group, 76% were employed, and the mean Oswestry score was 28.2%. One-third of those patients initially rated as successful had deterioration in symptoms and increased disability from back pain. The Short Form 36 health survey questionnaire revealed that these patients had a chronic ill-health profile.
authors.affiliation: Department of Fracture and Orthopaedic Surgery, University Hospital, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK.
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Grevitt
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McLaren
authors.forename: I M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Shackleford
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Mulholland
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017587:Diskectomy, Percutaneous; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000601:surgery*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome