Consumer consciousness, the evolution of non-operative specialties involved in pain management, a continuing trend toward outpatient versus inpatient procedures and cost concerns have all generated interest in minimally invasive options to spine surgery. Accompa-nying this movement are the aspirations of reduced convalescence, loss of functional limitations, lowered complications and diminished costs. Although new therapies offer future promise, there is currently a paucity of randomized controlled trials on these options. The fol-lowing is a general review of several minimally invasive options to disc surgery.