Foraminal lumbar disc herniations are extremely handicapping in relation to clinical symptoms and over the last forty years many alternatives have been put forward for treatment. Twenty patients with this radicular syndrome were operated by posterolateral access using arthroscopic microdiscectomy. Success was evaluated using pre-operative and post-operative self-evaluation questionnaires. Inclusion and exclusion criteria for surgery were rigorously followed. The mean age of the patients was 43 years old, varying between 23 and 58 years old. The group consisted of 13 women (65%) and 7 men (35%). All patients underwent operations for foraminal lumbar disc herniations between the 4th and 5th lumbar vertebrae. The success rate was 75% of the cases. No motor nerve or vascular lesions or bacterial discitis were evidenced.
Foraminal; Microdiscectomy; Arthroscopic
