Lumbar disc herniation in early childhood: case report and literature review

INTRODUCTION: Lumbar disc herniation is a common condition in adults, uncommon in adolescents and exceptional below the age of 10 years. CASE REPORT: We report on a 6-year-old boy who presented with low-back pain and sciatica after having sustained an injury in a rear-end automobile accident. Due to our limited experience with protruded discs in this age group, we decided to be conservative initially. However, the persistence of incapacitating pain prompted surgical treatment. Operative findings consisted of a torn annulus, attached at one end to the cartilaginous plate, which formed a major portion of the extruded L5-S1 disc. DISCUSSION: A search of the literature yielded only four cases of lumbar disc (L4-5) protrusions in patients aged 9 years or younger. The child described here is one of the youngest patients with a lumbar disc rupture to be reported in the literature, and the first with an L5-S1 traumatic herniation.     

局部生物力学因素在L5/S1椎间盘突出症发病中的作用

背景：近年来,有关生物力学因素与腰背痛关系的报道大多集中在腰椎整体生物力学与腰背痛的研究上,而针对局部生物力学特点与单纯腰椎间盘突出的研究则较少。 目的：探讨局部生物力学因素在L5/S1椎间盘突出症发病中的作用。 方法：共纳入对象124例,包括椎间盘突出症组和对照组,62例/组。椎间盘突出症组为2008-06/2009-07于青岛大学医学院附属医院诊断明确并行手术治疗的L5/S1椎间盘突出症患者;对照组为健康体检人员。在腰椎正侧位X射线片上测量和观察各组L5椎体相对深度、腰骶移行椎、L5/S1椎间盘相对高度、腰骶角、骶骨水平角和骶骨垂直角的变化。 结果与结论：与对照组比较,椎间盘突出症组L5椎体相对深度明显增加(P < 0.01),椎间盘突出症组腰骶移行椎数目明显降低(P < 0.01),说明相对位置较深的L5椎体及腰骶移形椎可能对L5/S1椎间盘具有保护作用,可降低L5/S1椎间盘突出症的发生率。椎间盘突出症组腰骶角和骶骨水平角明显减小(P < 0.01);但L5/S1骶骨垂直角和椎间盘相对高度在椎间盘突出症组与对照组之间差别无显著性意义(P > 0.05),可见,L5/S1椎间盘相对高度、腰骶角、骶骨水平角和骶骨垂直角与椎间盘突出的关系仍不明确,需进一步探讨。     

A gas filled intradural cyst with intradural disc herniation: a case report

Intradural disc herniation is rare. In a colon cancer patient who suffered from low back pain for several years, MRI examination showed evidence of vacuum phenomenon and ring enhancement at the level of L3-4. Intradural herniation of an intervertebral disc was confirmed surgically. Pathological evidence of intradiscal gas is rarely reported in the literature, however, an association between intradural disc herniation and pneumocysts was demonstrated in this case. The implications of our sequential radiological and pathological findings for the pathogenesis of intradural pneumocysts are discussed.     

Lumbar Disc Herniation in Tae Kwon Do Athletic Child

Lumbar disc herniation is extremely uncommon in children below 10 years of age. A 7-year-old boy is reported who presented with low back pain and left leg radiating pain. The pain started seven days prior to presentation and was attributed to performing the jumping kick without any previous warm-up. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a posterolateral disc herniation at the L3-4 level and multiple degenerative changes. The patient received conservative treatment including limitation of sports activities, anti-inflammatory and muscle relaxant medications as well as physical therapy. After three months of the aggressive treatment the child was symptom free. We present here a lumbar disc herniation in one of the youngest patient.     

Symptomatic progression of degenerative scoliosis after decompression and limited fusion surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis

Significant degenerative scoliosis together with lumbar spinal stenosis increases the complexity of planning a surgical intervention for iatrogenic instability may be introduced by decompression in the midst of the curve, especially at or near the curve apex, that may lead to more rapid progression of a deformity, especially if surgery is at, or is near, the apex of the curve and a listhesis is present. Surgical options include simple laminectomy, a laminectomy with limited fusion, or an extensive fusion that addresses the overall curve, but there is no consensus as to the best approach. There is scant information in the literature about specific instances of failure of a limited surgical approach from which any instructive lessons may be learned. We report a surgical failure in a 59-year-old woman with degenerative lumbar stenosis and scoliosis from L3–5 and L3–4 disc herniation treated with a simple hemilaminectomy and discectomy, a subsequent fusion for symptomatic progression of deformity, and a third surgery to fuse the entire scoliotic curve after development of severe deformity, pain, and neurological deficits. We conclude that surgical decision-making should take into consideration any risk factors for deformity progression as well as overall sagittal and coronal balance and advise that similar patients be followed for a lengthy period following surgery to monitor for stability.     

Spontaneous epidural hematoma as a cause of sciatic pain in a schoolboy

A previously healthy 13-year-old boy began to manifest radiating pain in his left leg after heavy physical exertion during judo training. He also had a sensation of numbness in his left buttock and leg. Initially, the patient was treated conservatively with a clinical diagnosis of disc herniation. However, following 3 months of conservative treatment, there was no relief of pain. Magnetic resonance imaging of the lumbar spine demonstrated an epidural mass causing compression of the dural sac at the L4-L5 disc level. During surgery, the L5 nerve root was found to be severely compressed in the spinal canal because of a chronic epidural hematoma. Following microsurgical removal of this hematoid mass, the patient had a good recovery. Spontaneous epidural hematomas in the lumbar region are rare, and only a few cases presenting with features simulating those caused by a disc herniation have been reported. Our patient represents the first such case described in a child.     

Percutaneous laser disc decompression: clinical experience at SCTIMST and long term follow up

BACKGROUND: Low backache (LBA) is now increasing in younger population due to misdirected spinal kinetics secondary to improper posture, heavy load lifting and motorbike driving. Hence minimally invasive procedures are increasingly sought after. Among these, PLDD is currently popular and in use. We present our long term follow-up in the use of Nd:YAG laser for PLDD. AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of PLDD in treatment of contained herniation of lumbar discs & long term follow up results. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty patients with contained lumbar disc herniation on MRI and who did not respond to 6 weeks conservative treatment were subjected to PLDD. L4-5 disc was treated in 31, L5-S1 in 12 and L1-2 and L3-4 in one each. Nd:YAG laser at 1064 nm was used for the procedure. Total laser energy of 1500-2000 Joules was delivered at the disc space depending upon the size. RESULTS: There was immediate pain relief in 32/40 (80%). According to MacNab criteria good to fair response was seen in 37/40 (92%) and 3 patients (7.5%) responded poorly to this treatment. On follow up which ranged from 1 to 7 years, 34/40 (85%) had pain relief with no need for further treatment. COMPLICATIONS: Significant pain at local puncture site was experienced by 8 (20%), pain during lasing was experienced by one. One patient developed muscular spasm. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous laser disc decompression is a safe, relatively noninvasive and effective treatment modality for contained, nonsequestered, herniated lumbar disc disease in carefully selected patients.     

Simultaneous occurrence of herniated disc and mesothelial cyst in a 16-year-old male

The unusual, simultaneous occurrence of both a herniated disc and an intraspinal mesothelial cyst in an adolescent is reported. The patient was a 16-year-old white male who presented with sciatic pain in his left lower extremity. Myelography revealed evidence of a left L4–5 discal herniation, and a L5–S3 midline sacral lesion that proved to be a mesothelial cyst.     

Dermatomal somatosensory evoked potential demonstration of nerve root decompression after VAX-D therapy.

Reductions in low back pain and referred leg pain associated with a diagnosis of herniated disc, degenerative disc disease or facet syndrome have previously been reported after treatment with a VAX-D table, which intermittently distracts the spine. The object of this study was to use dermatomal somatosensory evoked potentials (DSSEPs) to demonstrate lumbar root decompression following VAX-D therapy. Seven consecutive patients with a diagnosis of low back pain and unilateral or bilateral L5 or S1 radiculopathy were studied at our center. Disc herniation at the L5-S1 level was documented by MRI or CT in all patients. All patients were studied bilaterally by DSSEPs at L5 and S1 before and after VAX-D therapy. All patients had at least 50% improvement in radicular symptoms and low back pain and three of them experienced complete resolution of all symptoms. The average pain reduction was 77%. The number of treatment sessions varied from 12 to 35. DSSEPs were considered to show improvement if triphasic characteristics returned or a 50% or greater increase in the P1-P2 amplitude was seen. All patients showed improvement in DSSEPs after VAX-D therapy either ipsilateral or contralateral to the symptomatic leg. Two patients showed deterioration in DSSEPs in the symptomatic leg despite clinically significant improvement in pain and radicular symptoms. Overall, 28 nerve roots were studied before and after VAX-D therapy. Seventeen nerve root responses were improved, eight remained unchanged and three deteriorated. The significance of DSSEP improvement contralateral to the symptomatic leg is emphasized. Direct compression of a nerve root by a disc herniation is probably not the sole explanation for referred leg pain.     

Dermatomal somatosensory evoked potential demonstration of nerve root decompression after VAX-D therapy

Abstract

Reductions in low back pain and referred leg pain associated with a diagnosis of herniated disc, degenerative disc disease or facet syndrome have previously been reported after treatment with a VAX-D table, which intermittently distracts the spine. The object of this study was to use dermatomal somatosensory evoked potentials (DSSEPs) to demonstrate lumbar root decompression following VAX-D therapy. Seven consecutive patients with a diagnosis of low back pain and unilateral or bilateral L5 or S1 radiculopathy were studied at our center. Disc herniation at the L5-S1 level was documented by MRI or CT in all patients. All patients were studied bilaterally by DSSEPs at L5 and S1 before and after VAX-D therapy. All patients had at least 50% improvement in radicular symptoms and low back pain and three of them experienced complete resolution of all symptoms. The average pain reduction was 77%. The number of treatment sessions varied from 12 to 35. DSSEPs were considered to show improvement if triphasic characteristics returned or a 50% or greater increase in the P1-P2 amplitude was seen. All patients showed improvement in DSSEPs after VAX-D therapy either ipsilateral or contralateral to the symptomatic leg. Two patients showed deterioration in DSSEPs in the symptomatic leg despite clinically significant improvement in pain and radicular symptoms. Overall, 28 nerve roots were studied before and after VAX-D therapy. Seventeen nerve root responses were improved, eight remained unchanged and three deteriorated. The significance of DSSEP improvement contralateral to the symptomatic leg is emphasized. Direct compression of a nerve root by a disc herniation is probably not the sole explanation for referred leg pain. [Neurol Res 2001; 23: 706-714]     

Microdecompression for Extraforaminal L5-S1 Disc Herniation; The Significance of Concomitant Foraminal Disc Herniation for Postoperative Leg Pain

Objective

To analyze the relationship of concomitant foraminal lumbar disc herniation (FLDH) with postoperative leg pain after microdecompression for extraforaminal lumbar disc herniation (EFLDH) at the L5-S1 level.

Methods

Sixty-five patients who underwent microdecompression for symptomatic EFLDH at the L5-S1 level were enrolled. According to the severity of accompanying FLDH, EFLDH was classified into four categories (Class I : no FLDH; Class II : mild to moderate FLDH confined within a lateral foraminal zone; Class III : severe FLDH extending to a medial foraminal zone; Class IV : Class III with intracanalicular disc herniation). The incidence of postoperative leg pain, dysesthesia, analgesic medication, epidural block, and requirement for revision surgery due to leg pain were evaluated and compared at three months after initial surgery.

Results

The incidences of postoperative leg pain and dysesthesia were 36.9% and 26.1%, respectively. Pain medication and epidural block was performed on 40% and 41.5%, respectively. Revision surgery was recommended in six patients (9.2%) due to persistent leg pain. The incidences of leg pain, dysesthesia, and requirement for epidural block were higher in Class III/IV, compared with Class I/II. The incidence of requirement for analgesic medication was significantly higher in Class III/IV, compared with Class I/II (p=0.02, odds ratio=9.82). All patients who required revision surgery due to persistent leg pain were included in Class III/IV.

Conclusion

Concomitant FLDH seems related to postoperative residual leg pain after microdecompression for EFLDH at the L5-S1 level.     

Intradural herniation of intervertebral disc at the level of Lumbar 1-Lumbar 2

Intradural disc herniation is a serious and rare complication of intervertebral disc rupture. The preoperative diagnosis of intradural disc herniation is still difficult despite new neuroradiologic investigation possibilities including computerized tomography and magnetic resonance imaging and it is usually diagnosed by during surgery. Here we present an intradural disc herniation case at the level of L1-L2 with accompanying significant myelopathic neurologic deficits. A 50-year-old female patient was admitted to the hospital with pain and weakness in both legs. Her neurological examination revealed paraparesis. Magnetic resonance imaging showed an extruded disc hernia of central localization at the L1-L2 level. She underwent total laminectomy at the level of L1-L2 and her intradural disc fragment was extirpated by microsurgical methods.     

Spontaneous cervical intradural disc herniation

Cervical intradural disc herniation (IDH) is a rare condition with very few case reports in the literature. We report a 64-year-old man who presented with sudden onset neck pain and rapidly progressing weakness in the left upper and lower limb. There was no history of trauma. MRI of the cervical spine showed a C6–C7 disc prolapse, for which he underwent a C6–C7 discectomy and fusion with bone graft through an anterior cervical approach. To our knowledge, all patients with a cervical IDH reported in the literature have a traumatic etiology. To the best of our knowledge, we report the first patient with a spontaneous cervical IDH.     

Lumbar Epidural Varix Mimicking Disc Herniation

Lumbar radiculopathy is generally caused by such well-recognized entity as lumbar disc herniation in neurosurgical practice; however rare pathologies such as thrombosed epidural varix may mimic them by causing radicular symptoms. In this case report, we present a 26-year-old man with the complaint of back and right leg pain who was operated for right L4–5 disc herniation. The lesion interpreted as an extruded disc herniation preoperatively was found to be a thrombosed epidural varix compressing the nerve root preoperatively. The nerve root was decompressed by shrinking the lesion with bipolar thermocoagulation and excision. The patient''s complaints disappeared in the postoperative period. Thrombosed lumbar epidural varices may mimic lumbar disc herniations both radiologically and clinically. Therefore, must be kept in mind in the differential diagnosis of lumbar disc herniations. Microsurgical techniques are mandatory for the treatment of these pathologies and decompression with thermocoagulation and excision is an efficient method.     

Cervical Disc Herniation Producing Acute Brown-Sequard Syndrome

Brown-Sequard syndrome may be the result of penetrating injury to the spine, but many other etiologies have been described. This syndrome is most commonly seen with spinal trauma and extramedullary spinal neoplasm. A herniated cervical disc has been rarely reported as a cause of this syndrome. We present a case of a 28-year-old male patient diagnosed as large C3-C4 disc herniation with spinal cord compression. He presented with left hemiparesis and diminished sensation to pain and temperature in the right side below the C4 dermatome. Microdiscectomy and anterior cervical fusion with carbon fiber cage containing a core of granulated coralline hydroxyapatite was performed. After the surgery, rapid improvement of the neurologic deficits was noticed. We present a case of cervical disc herniation producing acute Brown-Sequard syndrome with review of pertinent literature.     

The value of accurate clinical assessment in the surgical management of the lumbar disc protrusion.

One hundred patients with lumbar disc protrusions were studied. Thirty six "control" patients were admitted in the same time period with low back pain and sciatica but with subsequently "normal" myelograms and no surgery. The aim of this paper was to relate history and clinical signs to the myelograms and surgical findings. Ninety nine per cent of our patients presented with sciatica (controls 94%). The most frequently found sign in patients with a disc protrusion was reduction of ipsilateral straight leg raising (98%). However, 55% of controls also showed this sign. There were three signs that, when present, particularly indicated a disc protrusion; "crossed straight leg raising" (pain on contralateral straight leg raising), measured calf wasting and impaired ankle reflex: the latter being especially indicative of an L5-S1 disc protrusion. There were two further important signs, weakness of dorsiflexion of the foot and scoliosis of the lumbar spine. However, such signs occurred in about half the patients and so clinical diagnosis in the remaining half depended on obtaining a good history of sciatica, and paying due regard to severity of the pain, the mobility of the patient, the ability and desire to work and the overall personality. Satisfactory results of surgery simply depend on finding and removing a definite disc protrusion. Using these methods of selection, 98% have returned to their original employment, 86% within 3 months of the operation. For a patient with no abnormal signs and a normal myelogram, surgical treatment should not be advised.     

Split-cord malformation (diastematolmyelia) presenting in two adults: case report and a review of the literature

INTRODUCTION: Split cord malformation (SCM) is an uncommon developmental anomaly characterized a cleft spinal cord. In type I, each of the hemicords is contained within an individual dural tube whereas in type II there is a common dural tube housing both hemicords. Commonly diagnosed in childhood, adult presentation is exceptional. METHODS: We report the case of two women whose type II SCM was discovered at the age of 40 and 54 years. RESULTS: The first patient complained of chronic lombar and radicular chronic pain with dysuria. Physical examination revealed a radicular syndrome with abolition of the left Achille reflex and a lombar hair tuft. MRI showed a disc herniation at the L5-S1 level, with a partial SCM at the level of the L2 vertebra, spina bifida and tethered cord. The second patient complained of lombar pain with perineal irradiation for 6 years. Physical examination showed a lombar cutaneous angioma. MRI revealed a thoraco-lombar SCM at the T12 to L1 level, with spina bifida. No spur could not be identified in either patient. No further surgical treatment was given. CONCLUSION: Based on these two observations, we propose a review of literature reporting 90 cases of adult SCM.     

Metabolic changes in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with lumbar disc herniation or spinal stenosis

Metabolite levels in cerebrospinal fluid from patients with lower back pain and/or sciatica caused by disc herniation or spinal stenosis were compared with levels in pain-free controls using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Significant differences for several metabolites were found in patients with pain compared with controls. Most changes were found in the group with disc herniation, including reductions in glucose, alanine, and lactate, suggesting increased aerobic metabolism in this group. There was a significant reduction in the level of glucose in the group with spinal stenosis irrespective of whether the patients were compared with the whole control group (age-weighted) or with age-matched controls. Additionally, inositol and creatinine were reduced in patients with disc herniation. Inositol was also significantly reduced in the spinal stenosis group when age matched to controls. Insofar as the levels of pain recorded by the patients with lumbar pathology were similar in the two groups, it seems more likely that the reductions in metabolite levels recorded in the group with disc herniations are related to disc pathology rather than the perception of pain. However, the possibility that pain perception contributes to the metabolic changes cannot be excluded.     

Intradural Migration of a Sequestrated Lumbar Disc Fragment Masquerading as a Spinal Intradural Tumor

Intervertebral intradural lumbar disc herniation (ILDH) is a quite rare pathology, and isolated intradural lumbar disc herniation is even more rare. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may not be able to reveal ILDHs, especially if MRI findings show an intact lumbar disc annulus and posterior longitudinal ligament. Here, we present an exceedingly rare case of an isolated IDLH that we initially misidentified as a spinal intradural tumor, in a 54-year-old man hospitalized with a 2-month history of back pain and right sciatica. Neurologic examination revealed a positive straight leg raise test on the right side, but he presented no other sensory, motor, or sphincter disturbances. A gadolinium-enhanced MRI revealed what we believed to be an intradural extramedullary tumor compressing the cauda equina leftward in the thecal sac, at the L2 vertebral level. The patient underwent total L2 laminectomy, and we extirpated the intradural mass under microscopic guidance. Histologic examination of the mass revealed a degenerated nucleus pulposus.