BACKGROUND:: Pathophysiology mechanism involved in disc degeneration remains poorly understood, thus, construction of an animal model that similar to natural intervertebral disc degeneration is benefit for the study of pathological and physiological changes of disc degeneration. OBJECTIVE:: To establish a rabbit model similar to simulate human discectomy intervertebral disc degeneration induced by puncture and aspiration, and to analyze its feasibility and advantage. METHODS:: A total of 20 Japanese white rabbits were randomly selected, according to anatomical observations, in order to prevent puncture injuries posterolateral annular vessel, the right posterior lateral approach was used, parts of nucleus pulposus of the line L1–2 and L3–4 disc was removed by puncturing the posterior lateral nucleus liposuction, and the L2–3 intervertebral disc was served as the control group. X-ray and MRI imaging observation were performed on the disc intervertebral disc (L2–3) line at 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks after modeling. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:: All of 20 rabbits were involved in the result analysis. The intervertebral disc height index of the experimental group continued to decline at 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks after operation (P < 0.05), it illustrated that the height of intervertebral disc would be gradually reduced after modeling, and the disc height index was significantly lower than the control group at each time point (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, MRI T2WI signal of the experimental group disc gradually decreased at 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks after operation, and gradually decreased with time prolonged, which showed a low signal change. The imaging observation demonstrated that lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration of animal model exhibited a similar tendency to humans, suggesting that a rabbit model of intervertebral disc degeneration induced by puncture and aspiration through a posterolateral approach was successfully established, which provides an effective animal model for the repair and reconstruction using tissue-engineered intervertebral disc degeneration study.