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.