title: Intervertebral disc calcification in childhood--a case report and review of the literature.
abstract: The authors report the case of a 10-year-old girl with intervertebral disc calcifications from the levels C6/C7 to Th1/Th2, presenting with a herniated calcified intervertebral disc at the C7/Th1 level, causing spinal cord compression with subsequent progressive paresis and sensory loss of her left leg. After anterior cervical discectomy and fusion the neurological deficits completely resolved within 2 weeks. It can be concluded that calcification of an intervertebral disc is a rare syndrome in childhood, causing progressive neurological deficit only in a few reported cases. Although the treatment of choice is conservative, surgery is required in patients who develop progressive neurological deficit.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Frankfurt/Main, Germany.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gerlach
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zimmermann
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kellermann
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lietz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Raabe
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Seifert
mesh_terms: D002114:Calcinosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D013123:Spinal Fusion; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery