Transitional lumbosacral discs. probability of herniation.
The charts and roentgenograms of 200 patients operated upon for lumbar disc herniations were reviews. Among them, there were 42 persons in whom a lumbosacral transitional vertebra existed.  The discs beneath these vertebra varied in appearance. A descriptive classification for the four disc types is proposed. In none of the 42 patients were there myelographic evidence of herniation of such a disc. In five instances, such disc were surgically inspected, and no protrusion was uncovered. Before transitional discs are operated upon, the proof of herniation should be incontrovertible.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D008161:Lumbosacral Region / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009192:Myelography; D011336:Probability