A retrospective study of 560 patients having a first lumbar discectomy performed by one surgeon in his first ten years of practice was carried out. Sixty-three repeat operations were carried out on these patients and 39 were carried out on patients originally operated upon by other surgeons. These 662 operations were analyzed. Factors possibly associated with recurrent episodes of back and leg pain or reoperations were studied. Significant associations were found between these episodes and year of operation, level and type of operation, and the presence or absence of compensation. The overall reoperation rate was 11.8%. Increased operator experience resulted in fewer reoperations. The results of reoperation were comparable to the results of the original surgery. Complications were minor and the rate was 2%.