Resorption of thoracic disc herniation. Report of 2 cases.
The authors describe 2 cases of thoracic disc herniation, resulting in acute myelopathy without bladder dysfunction or progressive muscular weakness; the herniated disc apparently resorbed without surgical intervention. Thoracic disc herniations are less frequent than cervical or lumbar disc herniations and are usually associated with severe neurological deficits. In these 2 cases, the herniated discs exhibited marked decreases in size, corresponding to a favorable clinical outcome within a few months after the initiation of conservative treatment with prostaglandin E(1) and/or steroids in conjunction with physical therapy. The authors conclude that thoracic herniated discs are capable of undergoing natural resorption and that conservative treatment could be indicated, even in the presence of moderate myelopathy, when the myelopathy is not accompanied by bladder dysfunction or progressive muscular weakness.
Haro
Hirotaka
H
1 Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Japan. haro@yamanashi.ac.jp
Domoto
Toru
T
Maekawa
Shingo
S
Horiuchi
Tadahiro
T
Komori
Hiromichi
H
Hamada
Yoshiki
Y
D000328:Adult; D000527:Alprostadil / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001862:Bone Resorption / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D015493:Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic / Q000473:pathology; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000527:Alprostadil; C059238:limaprost; D008775:Methylprednisolone