RESULTS OF DAY-CASE SURGERY FOR LUMBAR DISC PROLAPSE

Microdiscectomy for lumbar disc prolapse on a day-patient basis was in troduced by our department in 1985 and first reported in 1987, but has not been generally adopted in the United Kingdom. We now report our e xperience of the first 100 patients with lumbar disc prolapse treated by day-case microdiscectomy. Post-operative assessment was in the out- patient clinic and by subsequent postal questionnaire (average follow- up 37 months, range 3-64 months). Complications were few and are descr ibed. Only three patients developed a recurrent disc prolapse. Patient feedback was favourable and the majority (850/o) said that, if necess ary, they would be prepared to have the operation again on a day-case basis. For selected patients, lumbar microdiscectomy is a suitable pro cedure for day-case surgery.