Automated percutaneous lumbar discectomy: a review.

The leading cause for low back pain and sciatica is a herniated intervertebral disc, which has often been removed by laminectomy or chemonucleolysis. A less invasive method is percutaneous lumbar discectomy, surgical aspiration of the central nuclear material. With proper patient selection and surgical technique, percutaneous lumbar discectomy achieves results similar to those of chemonucleolysis.