title: Transcutaneous lumbar diskectomy for internal disk derangement: a new indication.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Percutaneous diskectomy has been used effectively to treat lumbar disk herniation. The purpose of this review was to determine whether transcutaneous diskectomy is an effective surgical option for treating lumbar internal disk derangement.
  
  
  METHODS
  Comprehensive retrospective review via personal interview included 103 consecutive patients available for long-term follow-up. For determining results as excellent, good, fair, or poor, the criteria included subjective relief of back and/or leg pain, ability to perform preinjury job functions, residual physical restrictions, use of medications, and need for subsequent surgery. Factors affecting results were statistically analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall success rate was 83%, with no statistically significant differences in results based on sex, workers' compensation status, or levels of diskectomy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The favorable results from this series illustrate the high success rate of transcutaneous lumbar diskectomy in a heterogeneous patient population. Coupling the rate of success with a low rate of complications, transcutaneous lumbar diskectomy appears to be an effective, minimally invasive treatment for internal disk derangement.
authors.affiliation: Baylor/Richardson Medical Center, Tex, USA.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Marks
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017586:Diskectomy / Q000145:classification / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000601:surgery*; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D016015:Logistic Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000601:surgery; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012585:Sciatica / Q000601:surgery; D012737:Sex Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014937:Work; D014942:Workers' Compensation
chemical_list: D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal