Cervical disc herniation causing localized ipsilateral popliteal pain

We report a patient with localized ipsilateral popliteal pain that we believe was caused by cervical disc herniation. A 52-year-old woman complained of an unusual severe aching pain in the right popliteal region. The pain increased gradually for 4 months despite the employment of conservative treatments. Eventually, the woman was unable even to stand immediately after waking because of the pain. However, physical examination of the right knee joint showed little abnormality. Although radiography of the knee joint showed slight osteoarthritic change, the pain remained unexplained. The patient also reported shoulder stiffness and slight numbness in the bilateral toes. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a large disc herniation on the right side of C3/4 and narrowing of the spinal canal at C4/5. Anterior cervical decompression and fusion surgery (C3–5) was performed to prevent impending myelopathy. After surgery the popliteal pain disappeared immediately and completely, suggesting that the cervical disc herniation had caused the pain. The pain has not recurred in almost 3 years after surgery. Received: April 26, 2001 / Accepted: August 14, 2001