Skip to main content
PMC home page
Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry logoLink to Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry
. 1971 Feb;34(1):68–77. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.34.1.68

Diagnosis and treatment of thoracic intervertebral disc protrusions

James Carson 1,2, John Gumpert 1,2, Antony Jefferson 1,2
PMCID: PMC493689  PMID: 5551695

Abstract

A series of 14 patients with a protruded thoracic intervertebral disc is reported. We believe that the true incidence may be as high as one patient per million population per annum. Trauma, sometimes mild, seems to have played a significant role in this series. This fact coupled with pronounced numbness and disagreeable paraesthesiae should suggest the diagnosis with thoracic spinal lesions. Armed with clinical suspicion, radiological verification of the lesion can be expected using a thorough myelographic technique supported if necessary by tomography. A posterolateral approach which combines laminectomy, complete excision of the ligamentum flavum, and the extradural removal of protruded disc is described. The technique is safe and effective.

Full text

PDF
68

Images in this article

71Image
on p.71
71Image
on p.71
71Image
on p.71
72Image
on p.72
72Image
on p.72
73Image
on p.73
75Image
on p.75
75Image
on p.75

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. ABBOTT K. H., RETTER R. H. Protrusions of thoracic intervertebral disks. Neurology. 1956 Jan;6(1):1–10. doi: 10.1212/wnl.6.1.1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. ARSENI C., NASH F. Thoracic intervertebral disc protrusion: a clinical study. J Neurosurg. 1960 May;17:418–430. doi: 10.3171/jns.1960.17.3.0418. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. CAPENER N. The evolution of lateral rhachotomy. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 1954 May;36-B(2):173–179. doi: 10.1302/0301-620X.36B2.173. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. CRAFOORD C., HIERTONN T., LINDBLOM K., OLSSON S. E. Spinal cord compression caused by a protruded thoracic disc; report of a case treated with antero-lateral fenestration of the disc. Acta Orthop Scand. 1958;28(2):103–107. doi: 10.3109/17453675808988612. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Fisher R. G. Protrusions of thoracic disc. The factor of herniation through the dura mater. J Neurosurg. 1965 Jun;22(6):591–593. doi: 10.3171/jns.1965.22.6.0591. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. HALEY J. C., PERRY J. H. Protrusions of intervertebral discs; study of their distribution, characteristics and effects on the nervous system. Am J Surg. 1950 Oct;80(4):394–404. doi: 10.1016/0002-9610(50)90443-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. HULME A. The surgical approach to thoracic intervertebral disc protrusions. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1960 May;23:133–137. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.23.2.133. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. KROLL F. W., REISS E. Der thorakale Bandscheibenprolaps. Dtsch Med Wochenschr. 1951 May 4;76(18):600–603. doi: 10.1055/s-0028-1116743. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. KUHLENDAHL H. Der thorakale Bandscheibenprolaps als extramedullärer Spinaltumor und in seinen Beziehungen zu internen Organsyndromen. Arztl Wochensch. 1951 Feb 16;6(7):154–157. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. LOGUE V. Thoracic intervertebral disc prolapse with spinal cord compression. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1952 Nov;15(4):227–241. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.15.4.227. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. LOVE J. G., KIEFER E. J. Root pain and paraplegia due to protrusions of thoracic intervertebral disks. J Neurosurg. 1950 Jan;7(1):62-9, illust. doi: 10.3171/jns.1950.7.1.0062. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. LOVE J. G., SCHORN V. G. THORACIC-DISK PROTRUSIONS. JAMA. 1965 Feb 22;191:627–631. doi: 10.1001/jama.1965.03080080017004. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. MULLER R. Protrusion of thoracic intervertebral disks with compression of the spinal cord. Acta Med Scand. 1951;139(2):99–104. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. O'CONNELL J. E. Involvement of the spinal cord by intervertebral disk protrusions. Br J Surg. 1955 Nov;43(179):225–247. doi: 10.1002/bjs.18004317902. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Perot P. L., Jr, Munro D. D. Transthoracic removal of midline thoracic disc protrusions causing spinal cord compression. J Neurosurg. 1969 Oct;31(4):452–458. doi: 10.3171/jns.1969.31.4.0452. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Ransohoff J., Spencer F., Siew F., Gage L., Jr Transthoracic removal of thoracic disc. Report of three cases. J Neurosurg. 1969 Oct;31(4):459–461. doi: 10.3171/jns.1969.31.4.0459. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. TOVI D., STRANG R. R. Thoracic intervertebral disk protrusions. Acta Chir Scand Suppl. 1960;Suppl 267:1–41. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Thomson J. L. Myelography in dorsal disc protrusion. Acta Radiol Diagn (Stockh) 1966;5:1140–1146. doi: 10.1177/02841851660050p258. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES