title: Percutaneous microdecompressive endoscopic cervical discectomy with laser thermodiskoplasty.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the surgical outcome of outpatient percutaneous microdecompressive endoscopic cervical discectomy with lower energy laser for shrinkage of disc material (thermodiskoplasty).
  
  
  METHODS
  Since 1994, 200 patients with herniated cervical discs have presented at the authors' clinic, with unilateral radicular pain. The diagnosis was confirmed by MRI or CT, and EMG.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At an average follow-up of 25 months, 94.5% of the cases had good-to-excellent results. Eleven patients (5.5%) remained symptomatic, with persistent neck and upper extremity pain associated with paresthesias. There were no significant postoperative complications. Average time before returning to work was 10 days.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Percutaneous microdecompressive endoscopic cervical discectomy with laser thermodiskoplasty has proven to be a safe and efficacious minimally invasive procedure.
authors.affiliation: California Center for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery, Thousand Oaks, USA.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Clifford
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Greenspan
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Richley
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lohman
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Sison
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000379:methods*; D017587:Diskectomy, Percutaneous / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004724:Endoscopy; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies