Eighty-two patients underwent discectomy for herniated nucleus pulposus between 1985 and 1989. Of these, 49 patients were diagnosed having a ruptured disc herniation. All ruptured disc herniations were removed from the posterior approach without fusion. The average improvement rate by the Japanese Orthopedic Association Score was 79.7%. We consider the surgical treatment should be done as early as possible after clinical and imaging assessment of ruptured disc herniation. This attributes a good result.
