[Percutaneous automated lumbar nucleotomy. Patient selection, practical performance and clinical results]

Percutaneous nucleotomy is designed to treat small and medium-sized contained disk hernias. It is offered to patients who have not responded to conservative treatment for three months or more. The nucleotomy procedure is well tolerated by a majority of patients and the rate of complications is low. The patients can be treated as out-patients. Among a total material of 130 patients, a primary good response to the treatment was observed in 81 (62%). However, owing to recurrencies the success rate had fallen to 52% at 12-39 months (mean 22 months) after nucleotomy. In selected patients with symptoms from one disk level only, and with no evidence of spinal stenosis, or of osteophyte formation or a narrowing of the disk space by more than 25%, the results were better. Here the success rate was 61% (70% in males and 50% in females).