[Automated endoscopic percutaneous diskectomy in the treatment of lumbar disk hernia].

Results of the conventional lumbar disc herniation surgery are not always satisfactory, in spite of the progress made in microsurgical technique. For that reason neurosurgeons started looking for an alternative method of treatment. A combination of the percutaneous posterolateral approach, which was used in chemonucleolysis, accompanied by the development of diagnostics, surgical techniques and technology of medical instruments, are important stages in the development of automatic endoscopic percutaneous diskectomy. The aim of percutaneous diskectomy is derived from pathophysiological principles, i.e. it is based on the reduction of nucleus pulposus volume, namely on the lowering of intradiscal pressure, under the condition that the anulus fibrosus continuity has been preserved. In the past three years 132 patients have been treated with this method with the success rate of 81%. We consider this method to be the best way to the final goal which can be called the protective lumbar disc surgery.