Since July 2007, the surgical treatment of lumbar herniated intervertebral disc’s radiculopathy has been part of the Chilean system of explicit health guarantees.Thereafter this treatment became priority in every neurosurgical service of the country. Objective: Compare retrospectively the results of two cohorts of patients with surgical indication for the treatment of lumbar disc prolapse selected by the protocol of outpatient lumbar microdiscectomy (OLM) of the Puerto Montt Hospital, performed under outpatient modality and as hospitalized patients. Methods: Patients with indication for lumbar disc surgery and lumbar microdiscectomy (LM) performed between July 2015 and July 2017 were included.Two cohorts were analysed: outpatient and hospitalized. Pain relief, complication rates, length of stay, surgical waiting time in days, costs and patient satisfaction were compared retrospectively with the patients’ records and a telephone survey. Results:A total of 299 LM were performed between July 2015 and July 2017;164 were selected for OLM;52 were outpatients and 112 were hospitalized.Of these only 138 could be contacted,41 outpatients and 97 inpatients,so that the information of these was used.The complication rate was low in both groups,being impossible to calculate statistical difference.As for the waiting time for surgery,it tends to be lower for outpatients.A total of US$5,980 (March 2017 value) was saved with OLM and 104 bed days were released.The patient’s satisfaction experience was equally high in both groups. Conclusions:OLM is safe and with a satisfactory experience for our patients.It decreased the bed day need,patients’ waiting time for the procedure and the system’s costs.