下位胸椎椎間板ヘルニアに対する後方手術 3 例の検討

We treated three patients suffering from lower thoracic disc herniation. They consisted of one male aged 49 years and two females aged 79 years each. All patients presented with muscle weakness and gait inability due to compression of spinal cord and nerve roots. MRI and CTM revealed the location of disc herniation at T12/L1, T11/12 and T10/11 respectively. Removal of herniated disc was performed by posterior approach with fenestration of roots in two patients and with laminectomy in one. All three patients showed satisfactory recovery of motor function. Two returned to independent gait and one required a T-cane. Posterior approach for lower thoracic disc herniation may be beneficial in patients with lateral disc because it is less invasive and has little postoperative complications.