SURGICAL-TREATMENT OF THORACIC DISC HERNIATION - A REAPPRAISAL OF LARSONS LATERAL EXTRACAVITARY APPROACH

Twenty patients with thoracic disc herniations underwent removal of th e transverse process, articular facet, pedicle, and rib-a procedure de scribed by Larson as the lateral extracavitary approach. Eleven patien ts presented with myelopathy: five mild, nine moderate, and four sever e. Fifteen patients showed significant neurologic improvement after th e operation and five patients none. Postoperative follow-up ranged fro m 1 to 8 years. The pros and cons of each of the surgical approaches t o this type of lesion are considered with reference to the published d ata.