Adolescent lumbar disc herniation in a Tae Kwon Do martial artist: a case report

Lumbar disc herniations are rare in children. The etiology and clinical picture may be different in children than in adults. Conservative management is the treatment of choice. Tae Kwon Do is a Korean martial art which is notorious for its high fast kicks. Tae Kwon Do will be an official Olympic sport in the year 2000. Low back pain is occasionally reported by Tae Kwon Do athletes but there are no reported cases in the literature on disc herniation in a Tae Kwon Do athlete. A case report is presented to illustrate clinical presentation, diagnosis, radiological assessment and conservative management of lumbar disc herniation in children.     

The microsurgical approach to extraforaminal lumbar disc herniations. An analysis of 15 cases

AIM: Extraforaminal lumbar disc herniations are uncommon, but thanks to recent progress in imaging procedures, they may be easily diagnosed. Several surgical approaches have been described and employed to remove these herniations. The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical, radiological and surgical features which differentiate the treatment of this type of hernia from the more common surgical approaches to other types of lumbar disc hernias. METHODS: The authors report the results of the surgical treatment of 15 cases of extraforaminal lumbar disc herniation through an extracanalicular, intertransverse microsurgical approach and describe the technique employed. RESULTS: All cases experienced a prompt recovery from the preoperative symptoms with no complications, which notably reduced the time necessary for postoperative care. No instability was documented and none of the cases observed presented the neuropathic pain sometimes reported with this method of approach to these herniations. CONCLUSION: This particular site of disc herniation can be approached effectively through the extracanalicular route. The procedure, however, requires an extremely accurate preoperative anatomical evaluation and a good microsurgical experience.     

显微减压术治疗椎间孔内腰椎间盘突出

目的 :总结显微减压术治疗椎间孔内腰椎间盘突出的临床应用结果。方法 :2005年9月至2013年5月,对16例椎间孔内腰椎间盘突出患者采用显微减压术治疗,其中男12例,女4例;年龄32~56岁,平均38.6岁;L3,41例,L4,510例,L_5S_15例。结果:16例均获随访,时间20~48个月,平均36个月。术后恢复率按Macnab腰腿痛手术治疗评定标准进行疗效评定,优12例,良好4例,未发生与该项技术操作相关的并发症。结论:显微减压术适宜治疗椎间孔内腰椎间盘突出,老年人更容易耐受。     

Frequency and specific surgical management of far lateral lumbar disc herniations

Summary Frequency of Far Lateral Lumbar Disc Herniation The analysis of pre-operative computer-assisted tomograms and myelograms in a series of 694 operated lumbar disc herniations showed that a far lateral disc prolapse occured in 7% of the cases. Within the group of those far laterally herniated discs 3% of the herniations were predominantly located in the intervertebral foramen, whereas 4% of the protruded discs were mainly situated extraforaminally compressing the spinal nerve in its paravertebral course.Surgical Management of Extraforaminal Far Lateral Lumbar Disc Herniation By March 1988 40 patients had been operated on for an extraforaminal disc protrusion making use of an external microsurgical exposure (in two cases by a transmuscular approach and in 38 cases via an enlarged midline approach). A medium-term follow-up of these 40 patients revealed a substantial clinical relief of pain in 34 cases (85%). Based on these gratifying results we regard the external exposure of the extraforaminally protruded disc as the treatment of choice.     

Isolated C3–C4 disc herniations present as a painless myelopathy

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Cervical disc herniations at the C3-C4 level are distinctly uncommon. The authors present the first case series of isolated C3-C4 disc herniations presenting with myelopathy. PURPOSE: To elucidate a rare presentation of the uncommon C3-C4 disc herniation. STUDY DESIGN: Case series. PATIENT SAMPLE: The four patients who presented with myelopathy caused by isolated C3-C4 disc herniations, at the spine unit, Vancouver General Hospital between 1999 and 2005. OUTCOME MEASURE: Improvement in neurological status. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the files of the patients. The clinical features and outcome of surgery were assessed. RESULTS: The C3-C4 disc herniation can present as with no or mild pain, and hand numbness was a prominent symptom. Early recognition and treatment led to favorable outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Myelopathy is rarely caused by a C3-C4 disc herniation. This etiology may be underdiagnosed but has a more favorable outcome in those cases where rapid diagnosis is followed by spinal cord decompression.     

Clinical evaluation of lumbar disc hernia in the teenagers

Lumbar disc herniation is a rare occurrence in teenagers. There are several questions as to its pathogenesis, relationship to trauma, and clinical manifestations compared with those in adults. In the present paper, we described nine cases of teen-age lumbar disc herniation, which accounts for about 3.3% of all the operated lumbar disc herniations in our clinic. In the discussion, 687 cases of teen-age lumbar disc herniation were analyzed from the world literature. The clinical signs and symptoms in teenagers showed no distinct difference from those in adults. Laségue's sign was found in nearly all the patients. Although direct or indirect trauma to the lumbar region may play an important role in causing disc herniation in teenagers, a more important factor seems to be the degeneration of the disc material, which begins in children earlier than usually suspected. Although surgical therapy has been advocated by many authors, it must be followed up for a long term before the efficacy of such treatment for teenagers can be confidently ascertained.     

Foraminal deposition of calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate crystals in the thoracic spine: possible relationship with disc herniation and implications for surgical planning. Report of two cases

The authors report two cases of nodular calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (CPPD) crystal deposition close to the thoracic neural foramen, which caused chronic radiculopathy. Preoperatively, the lesions were interpreted as calcified disc herniations. Both patients underwent surgery in which an extended transfacet pedicle-sparing approach was used. Incision of the posterior longitudinal ligament released soft degenerated material. In both cases, histological examination showed abundant degenerative debris along with CPPD crystals. Spinal CPPD deposition is a comparatively rare disease that almost invariably involves the posterior aspect of the spinal canal, typically the ligamentum flavum. The exceptional foraminal location of the lesions reported here, combined with the surgical findings, indicated that the CPPD crystals were deposited on a laterally herniated disc fragment. A distinctive feature in both cases was the soft consistency of the resected tissue. The consistency of the disc material and the location of the lesion in the axial plane (that is, median compared with lateral) are key factors in determining the optimal surgical approach to thoracic disc herniations. In describing consistency, terms such as "calcified" and "hard" have been used interchangeably in the literature. In the cases reported here, what appeared on computerized tomography and magnetic resonance imaging studies to be densely calcified lesions were shown intraoperatively to be soft herniations. The authors' experience underscores that not all densely calcified herniated discs are hard. Although detection of this discrepancy would have left surgical planning for the lateral disc herniations unchanged, it could have altered planning for centrally or centrolaterally located disc herniations.     

Two brothers with a symptomatic thoracic disc herniation at T11–T12: clinical report

Background  In contrast to what is commonly believed, thoracic disc herniations are not rare lesions. Their etiopathogenesis is largely unknown, but may be linked to trauma, Scheuermann’s disease or a degenerative back. Objective  We report two brothers with a symptomatic thoracic disc herniation at T11–T12 and address the possibility of a genetic factor as well as other factors in the etiopathogenesis of (symptomatic) thoracic disc herniations. Clinical features  Both brothers were in their early thirties and had a physically demanding job, however, only the first one was a smoker and was diagnosed with Scheuermann’s disease. Conclusion  The etiology of thoracic disc herniations is likely multifactorial. Their occurrence in siblings may reflect some genetic predisposition or may be merely coincidental, given the high prevalence of thoracic disc herniations in asymptomatic individuals. Further research, including genetic studies, is warranted.     

Minimally invasive approach for the treatment of lateral lumbar disc herniations. Technique and results.

OBJECTIVE: This paper aims to demonstrate the feasibility and efficacy of a minimal invasive approach by using a muscle dilator system for the treatment of lateral lumbar disc herniations. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 38 cases with lateral lumbar disc herniations that were treated the METRx-System was performed. Patients were assessed preoperatively and postoperatively with the visual analogue scale (VAS) for leg pain. Follow up ranged from 6 to 24 months. RESULTS: No intraoperative complications were observed. Operation time and intraoperative blood loss were minimized. In 37 cases VAS scores were significantly lower after the procedure. A single patient had to be reoperated due to insufficient removal of the herniated disc material. CONCLUSION: The reported minimal invasive technique is a safe and efficient alternative to conventional methods for the treatment of lateral lumbar disc herniations.     

极外侧型腰椎间盘突出症15例报告

目的 探讨极外侧型腰椎间盘突出症的临床和CT特征,提高该病的诊断率。方法 对15例经手术证实的患者临床和CT影像进行回顾性分析。结果 腰4／5间隙多发,椎间孔和椎间孔外联合突出多见,临床上常可见单侧两节神经根受损的表现。结论 临床与CT相结合是诊断极外侧型腰椎间盘突出症的关键。     

Relationship between neovascularization and degenerative changes in herniated lumbar intervertebral discs

Purpose

Lumbar disc degeneration may be associated with intensity of neovascularization in disc herniations. Our study was designed to evaluate how much the severity of histodegeneration is related to the development of neovascularization and to the level of pleiotrophin in the herniated lumbar discs.

Methods

Surgically excised lumbar disc specimens were obtained from 29 patients with noncontained (i.e., extruding through the posterior longitudinal ligament) and 21 patients with contained disc herniations. The histodegeneration scores and levels of neovascularization were estimated according to semiquantitative analysis in lumbar disc and endplate samples. Immunohistochemical staining were performed to identify the newly formed blood vessels and to detect the presence of pleiotrophin in the specimens.

Results

Higher levels of disc and endplate neovascularity were registered in noncontained herniations. The level of neovascularization was significantly related to the score of histodegeneration in the herniated disc tissues but not in the endplate specimens. Both contained and noncontained herniations had the highest values of histodegeneration in conjunction with the highest level of neovascularization but the relations between neovascularity and degenerative changes remained to be significant only in the group of noncontained herniations. Registration or frequency of pleiotrophin positive cells did not correlate significantly with histodegeneration or level of neovascularization in the disc samples.

Conclusion

Severe histodegeneration of the lumbar disc herniations is associated with enhanced neovascularization and potentially also spontaneous regression of the herniated tissue.     

青少年腰椎间盘突出症的病因及治疗

目的 :探讨青少年腰椎间盘突出症的病因和治疗。方法 :12例青少年腰椎间盘突出症均手术治疗 ,开窗术 9例 ,扩大开窗 3例 ,分析其病因 ,临床表现及治疗方法。结果 :随访全部病例 ,平均随访时间 1 5年 ,优良率达 92 3 %。结论 :外伤和畸形是造成青少年腰椎间盘突出症的主要原因 ;X线检查不易诊断和定位 ,体征明显是其临床特征。治疗上在严格保守治疗无效的情况下 ,手术治疗也是重要的治疗方法。     

青少年腰椎间盘突出症

目的：探讨青少年腰椎间盘突出症的病因和治疗。方法：１３例青少年腰椎间盘突出症均手术治疗,开窗术９例,半椎切除３例,全椎板切除术１例;并分析其病因,临床表现及治疗方法。结果;随访全部病例,平均随访时间４．２的,优良率达９２．３％。结论：外伤和畸形是造成青少年腰椎间盘突出症的主要原因;症状轻,体征明显是其临床特征     

颈胸腰多发性椎间盘突出伴椎管狭窄症

目的 探讨同时发生在颈、胸、腰段的联合性多节段椎管狭窄的临床特点及治疗方法。方法 采用回顾性研究方法对手术治疗颈、胸、腰段的联合性多节段椎管狭窄的病例进行总结分析。结果 7例病人均同时患颈胸腰三处椎管狭窄。椎间盘突出、后纵韧带骨化、椎板及小关节增生肥大为造成颈胸腰椎管狭窄的主要病因。病人接受一处椎管减压3例，二处椎管减压3例，三处椎管减压1例。结论 同时发生在颈胸腰的椎管狭窄因各节段椎管狭窄致病原因复杂，脊髓受压迫时间较长，临床症状上多样化，易于相互影响。治疗上应先对各部位病情及影像学结果综合后作出轻重缓急的判断，以安排治疗上的先后次序。     

Simultaneous three-level disc herniation in a patient with multiple sclerosis

A rare case is presented of symptomatic simultaneous multilevel disc herniation in the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine of a 38-year-old man, which were operated on at three different timepoints. Following the third operation, the patient was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, based on pathological visual evoked potentials and cerebrospinal fluid examination. Spinal surgeons should be aware of the uncommon simultaneous presence of symptomatic disc herniations at different spinal levels, and of the possibility that such multilevel disc herniations may coexist with demyelinating diseases and may confuse the diagnosis.     

Combined intra-extracanal approach to lumbosacral disc herniations with bi-radicular involvement. Technical considerations from a surgical series of 15 cases

Large lumbosacral disc herniations effacing both the paramedian and the foraminal area often cause double radicular compression. Surgical management of these lesions may be difficult. A traditional interlaminar approach usually brings into view only the paramedian portion of the intervertebral disc, unless the lateral bone removal is considerably increased. Conversely, the numerous far-lateral approaches proposed for removing foraminal or extraforaminal disc herniations would decompress the exiting nerve root only. Overall, these approaches share the drawback of controlling the neuroforamen on one side alone. A combined intra-extraforaminal exposure is a useful yet rarely reported approach. Over a 3-year period, 15 patients with bi-radicular symptoms due to large disc herniations of the lumbar spine underwent surgery through a combined intra-extracanal approach. A standard medial exposure with an almost complete hemilaminectomy of the upper vertebra was combined with an extraforaminal exposure, achieved by minimal drilling of the inferior facet joint, the lateral border of the pars interarticularis and the inferior margin of the superior transverse process. The herniated discs were removed using key maneuvers made feasible by working simultaneously on both operative windows. In all cases the disc herniation could be completely removed, thus decompressing both nerve roots. Radicular pain was fully relieved without procedure-related morbidity. The intra-extraforaminal exposure was particularly useful in identifying the extraforaminal nerve root early. Early identification was especially advantageous when periradicular scar tissue hid the nerve root from view, as it did in patients who had undergone previous surgery at the same site or had long-standing radicular symptoms. Controlling the foramen on both sides also reduced the risk of leaving residual disc fragments. A curved probe was used to push the disc material outside the foramen. In conclusion, specific surgical maneuvers made feasible by a simultaneous extraspinal and intraspinal exposure allow quick, safe and complete removal of lumbosacral disc herniations with paramedian and foraminal extension.     

Multiple disc herniations in a type II diabetic patient: case report and review of the literature

Disc herniation is a common pathology associated with physical trauma or degenerative diseases. The authors present the case of a patient with 8 disc herniations without known risk factors or other associated pathologies except for a long story of type II diabetes. Basing on studies reported in literature, it can be assumed that diabetes may be the reason of multiple disc herniations in this case.     

A minimally invasive technique for L5-S1 intraforaminal disc herniations: microdiscectomy with a tubular retractor via a contralateral approach

Surgical treatment of intraforaminal disc herniations at the L5-S1 level is technically demanding. The 2 most commonly used procedures involve either a medial or lateral ipsilateral approach and often require a partial or even complete facet resection, which may in turn result in vertebral instability and/or back pain, as well as, in some cases, a fusion or stabilization procedure. In this report, the authors present a new minimally invasive technique for the treatment of L5-S1 intraforaminal disc herniations. Using this technique, which involves tubular retractors and an operative microscope to approach the neural foramen from the contralateral side, the authors could easily visualize and remove the herniated disc material and perform a thorough microdiscectomy with minimal resection of osseous and ligamentous structures. To illustrate this new minimally invasive technique for the treatment of intraforaminal disc herniations at L5-S1, they describe the cases of 2 patients who underwent the procedure and in whom successful results were achieved.     

腰椎间盘突出症手术治疗的体会

目的：本报道１９８４年４月￣１９９７年１２月共手术治疗腰椎间盘突出症３５６例。方法：旁侧型突出采用单侧开窗术;旁中央型或中央型突出采用双侧开窗术或症状较轻的一侧开窗、症状较重的一侧半椎板切除;对于年龄较大、突出物巨大或突出物钙化的病例采用半椎板切除;而巨大中央型突出伴有马尾神经损害采用全椎板切除。以求达到彻底减压目的。结果：手术疗效：优２３３例,占６５．４％,良１０２例,占２８．６％,可１８例     

Surgical management of extreme lateral lumbar disc herniations: review of 138 cases

Extreme lateral disc herniations in the authors' series account for 10% of all lumbar herniations; 80% occurred at the L3, L4 and L4, L5 interspaces. The authors review the clinical findings in 138 patients and point to the characteristic features of the clinical syndrome. They compare the accuracy of various diagnostic studies and conclude that computed tomography is highly accurate and should be used before other diagnostic studies. Discography is still helpful as a confirmatory study in some cases, whereas myelography is particularly useful in disclosing other associated lesions. Analysis of the operative series revealed a high percentage of extruded fragments (60%) and a significant number of double herniations on the same side and at the same level (15%). These two findings may respectively preclude chemonucleolysis and microsurgery from the surgical management of extreme lateral herniations. Double herniations explain some discrepancies in the clinical picture and are emphasized as a potential source of error in diagnosis. The surgical technique allows exploration for herniations within the intervertebral canal as well as for extraforaminal herniations without sacrifice of the facet. Operative results are presented.