Thoracic intervertebral disc calcification and herniation in adults: a report of two cases.
Acute paraplegia due to thoracic intervertebral disc protrusion and calcification is rare. The purpose of this study was to report two cases with acute paraplegia due to a calcified thoracic disc prolapse, and discuss its clinical diagnosis and surgical treatment with literature reviews.



These two cases were verified by patient history, physical examination, laboratory examination, CT and MRI studies, and pathological findings.



CT scan revealed disc calcification and protrusion at the T11-12 level in case 1 and at the T10-11 level in case 2, respectively. MRI images revealed severe spinal cord compression with a hyperintense central core and surrounding hypointense area in two cases, which were directly connected to the calcified intervertebral nucleus pulposus. Pathological examination revealed calcium deposition. Patients underwent discectomy followed by interbody fusion, and satisfactory therapeutic outcomes were obtained.



We suggest that decompression surgery should be carried out as early as possible for patients with early spinal myelopathy or paraplegia caused by a calcified protruded disc.
Department of Spine Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Qingdao University, LaoShan District, 59 Haier Road, Qingdao, 266101, People's Republic of China.
Bin
B
Yue
Department of Spine Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Qingdao University, LaoShan District, 59 Haier Road, Qingdao, 266101, People's Republic of China.
Bohua
B
Chen
Department of Spine Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Qingdao University, LaoShan District, 59 Haier Road, Qingdao, 266101, People's Republic of China.
Yun-Wen
YW
Zou
Department of Spine Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Qingdao University, LaoShan District, 59 Haier Road, Qingdao, 266101, People's Republic of China.
Yong-Ming
YM
Xi
Department of Spine Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Qingdao University, LaoShan District, 59 Haier Road, Qingdao, 266101, People's Republic of China.
Xian-Feng
XF
Ren
Department of Spine Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Qingdao University, LaoShan District, 59 Haier Road, Qingdao, 266101, People's Republic of China.
Hong-Fei
HF
Xiang
Department of Spine Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Qingdao University, LaoShan District, 59 Haier Road, Qingdao, 266101, People's Republic of China.
You-Gu
YG
Hu
Department of Spine Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Qingdao University, LaoShan District, 59 Haier Road, Qingdao, 266101, People's Republic of China. zhangguoqing100@yeah.net.
Guoqing
G
Zhang
D001416:Back Pain / Q000209:etiology; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000209:etiology*; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000209:etiology; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Calcification; Paraplegia; Protrusion; Thoracic disc herniation