[Diagnosis and treatment of disc herniation at cervical vertebra 7-thoracic vertebra 1 (C(7)-T(1))].
OBJECTIVE
To study the outcome of laminoforaminotomy with posterolateral discectomy for patients with lateral disc herniation at C(7)-T(1).


METHODS
From August 2000 to August 2008, 12 patients with lateral disc herniation at C(7)-T(1) underwent posterolateral discectomy were analyzed retrospectively. Neurologic function were evaluated with the Motor Scoring System. Preoperative motor were compared with postoperative one. The unique clinical manifestation, imageology features and intraoperative findings were analyzed.


RESULTS
All these twelve patients were lateral type. All the patients showed hand intrinsic muscles atrophy and hand weakness. Nine patients had no paraesthesia. The average follow-up period was 26 months. Postoperative scores were significantly higher than preoperative ones.


CONCLUSIONS
Disc herniation at C(7)-T(1) is predominantly lateral type and present C(8) nerve motor deficit (hand intrinsic muscles atrophy and hand weakness) and only minority has paraesthesia in C(8) nerve dermatome. Posterolateral cervical discectomy technique is safe and effective for patients with lateral disc herniation at C(7)-T(1).
Zhang
Guo-qing
GQ
Department of Spine Surgery, the Affiliated Hospital of Medical College of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266003, China.
Peng
Ming
M
Ma
Xue-xiao
XX
Hu
You-gu
YG
Chen
Bo-hua
BH
D000328:Adult; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae; D016896:Treatment Outcome