Objective To evaluate the long-term outcomes of fenestrated discectomy for lumbar disc herniation and analyze the correlative influence factors.Methods Eighty-two cases of lumbar disc herniation, from February 1996 to May 1999, were retrospectively studied. All patients were treated with simple fenestrated discectomy. The average follow-up time was 8 years and 7 months (from 7 years to10 years and 3months). There were 13, 38 and 31 cases at L3-L4, L4-L5 and L5-S1 level, respectively.Results The average scales before operation were as following: Japanes Orthopaedics Association (JOA) scale 6.5 (5-9), visual analysis scale (VAS) of low back pain 4.8 (0-8), and VAS of sciatica 7.2 (4-10). At the final follow-up, the above parameters were 13.2 (10-14), 1.8 (0-10) and 1.2 (0-7), respectively. The average increase ratio of JOA scale was 78.8%. The average disc-vertebra height ratio (Mochida method) was 80.2%. At the final follow-up, 7 cases reoccurred disc herniation. The final clinical satisfaction rate was 80% (modified Macnab method).Conclusion With appropriate surgical indications, the successful long-term outcomes could be expected with fenestrated discectomy. Discectomy improves sciatica to a greater extent than low back pain. The occurrence of low back pain is related to intervertebral disc height, segment stability, disc degeneration, and lumbar muscle disability.