01 — Overview
A thoracic disc herniation is uncommon, is frequently calcified, and can be adherent to the covering of the spinal cord. The approach matters more here than the instruments, because the thoracic spinal cord cannot safely be retracted. The corridor has to reach the disc from the side or the front.
02 — Who it suits
- Thoracic disc herniation causing myelopathy
- Progressive leg weakness, stiffness or change in gait
- Persistent band-like thoracic radicular pain
03 — How it is done
A posterolateral, lateral transthoracic or mini-open approach is selected from the CT and MRI. Bone is removed to create a working space in front of the cord, and the disc is delivered forward into that space rather than drawn back past the cord. Stabilization is added where the exposure destabilizes the segment.
04 — Recovery
Where there was spinal cord compression, any recovery of function is gradual and continues over an extended period. Physical therapy focuses on gait and balance.
05 — Conditions treated
- Thoracic Disc Disease Degeneration or herniation of discs in the mid-back, causing pain, numbness, and muscle weakness due to spinal cord or nerve root compression.
- Herniated Disc A condition where the inner gel-like core of a spinal disc bulges out through a tear in the outer layer, causing pain and neurological symptoms.
Timelines and techniques described here are general. Your own plan depends on your anatomy, your imaging and your medical history, and is decided with you at consultation.
