Percutaneous Discectomy is an outpatient procedure that uses x-ray pictures and a video screen as a guide for your surgeon to reach and fix the damaged disc. The incision, made in the small of your back, is about the size of a puncture wound. Because your surgeon can see the damaged disc on a video screen, it’s not necessary to remove bone to view and reach the disc. After surgery, a small bandage is placed over the incision. The incision is about ¼ inch long. To reach the disc during percutaneous discectomy, your surgeon may use a suction probe, laser probe, or forceps. After inserting the instrument into the disc, your surgeon removes the damaged disc material. Sometimes an endoscope (a tiny telescope-like instrument with a light) is inserted to view the disc area.