COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHIC FOLLOW-UP-STUDY OF 21 CASES OF NONOPERATIVELY TREATED CERVICAL INTERVERTEBRAL SOFT DISC HERNIATION

The authors studied the natural evolution of cervical soft disc hernia tions in 21 patients with cervical radiculopathy that was successfully treated with conservative therapy only. The first computed tomography (CT) examination was performed during the acute phase of the radiculo pathy, and the second performed from 1 to 30 months after healing. The initial CT allowed classification of the herniations according to siz e: nine were considered small, seven medium, and five large. Compariso n with follow-up sr-ans showed that five of the herniations decreased between 0 and 35%, six decreased between 35 and 75% and ten decreased between 75 and 100%. The largest herniations were those that had the g reatest tendency to decrease in size. This tendency could be secondary to the herniation breaking through the outer fibers of the anulus and entering the epidural space.