Spontaneous resolution of a disc protrusion in a military aviator: a case report.
The case history of a 38-yr-old military aviator qualified on a range of rotary and fixed wing aircraft is presented. A radiologically evident and clinically debilitating (initially) lumbar disc protrusion was the source of the aviator's temporary grounding from flying duties. A full clinical recovery was made and he returned to flying, eventually to ejection seat aircraft. It is proposed that: 1.) wherever possible, initial conservative non-invasive management of back problems is preferable; 2.) lumbar disc lesions may sometimes totally spontaneously resolve (retraction or autolysis?), and; 3.) development and diagnosis of a lumbar disc lesion should not always be an automatic permanent expulsion from rotary wing or ejection seat aircraft.
Newlands
J C
JC
Oakey Medical Centre, Army Airfield, QLD, Australia.
D000328:Adult; D000337:Aerospace Medicine; D000401:Aircraft; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000628:therapy*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous