Abstract
The authors report a case of thoracic herniated disc, and review clinical symptoms, diagnostic methods and operative procedures.
A 45-year-old male patient was admitted because of numbness, paraparesis of both lower extremities, bilateral hyperactive patellar and achilles tendon reflexes, and sensory impairment below the level of Th10 dermatome. Myelography and metrizamide computed tomography (CT) myelography revealed a Th7/8 soft disc herniation and a Th8/9 calcified disc protrusion. He underwent surgery through the lateral approach. A left hemilaminectomy from Th7 to Th9 and costotransversectomy of the left Th8 and Th9 were performed. The Th7/8 and Th8/9 herniated discs were completely removed by microsurgical procedure. The postoperative course was uneventful and the postoperative CT scan demonstrated complete removal of the herniated discs and full decompression of the spinal cord. He developed no neurological deficit during a 3-month postoperative follow-up.
