HERNIATED THORACIC DISKS - TREATMENT AND OUTCOME

The optimal surgical approach for thoracic disk herniation is controve rsial, and long-term follow-up is poorly documented. We retrospectivel y reviewed the records of 31 patients who underwent surgery for hernia ted thoracic disks at our institution during a 17-year period (1975-19 92). Two patients had multiple disk herniations; 16 of 33 herniated di sks occurred at or below the T10-11 level. There were three surgical a pproaches to diskectomy: laminectomy in four patients, transpedicular surgery in 12, and costotransversectomy in 15. Weakness resolved posts urgery in nine of 18 patients. One patient transiently deteriorated ne urologically after a laminectomy, three had wound infections, and two required second operations for their herniated disks. Postsurgery.half the patients with symptoms continued to have pain or weakness.