Protrusions of Thoracic Intervertebral Disks

Abstract

The neurological signs and symptoms of 11 patients with 13 thoracic intervertebral disc protrusions were reviewed in detail together with a review of the literature of 51 thoracic disc protrusions. Neurological signs and symptoms are found to fall into 3 groups: (1) Central and centrolateral disc protrusions, (2) Conus medullaris and cauda equinal syndrome from T11 and 12 central and centrolateral disc protrusions, and (3) Laterally placed disc protrusions, the latter giving rise to radicular pain with few or no neurological signs. It is shown that many of these disc protrusions can be diagnosed early and successfully treated by surgical removal with good to excellent prognosis.