Surgical treatment of thoracic disc herniation: an overview

Anterolateral thoracic approach for thoracic discectomy using pedicle marking and 3D intraoperative imaging system

Thoracic disc herniation (TDH) is a rare occurrence comprising of only 0.25-0.75% of all herniated discs in any region. Limitations in direct visualization remains a surgical challenge for complete and safe resection of TDH. In this case report, we describe the use of a 3D intraoperative imaging system (O-arm system TM) coupled with percutaneous pedicle markers placed under fluoroscopic guidance to circumvent the current limitations in visualisation for a patient with a giant calcified TDH using an anterolateral approach. There was an improvement in overall visualisation and ease of procedure, leading to a successful surgery. Post-op, there was a significant improvement in the motor power of the patient.

Endoscopic Versus Traditional Thoracic Discectomy: A Multicenter Retrospective Case Series and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Surgical treatment for symptomatic thoracic disc herniations (TDH) involves invasive open surgical approaches with relatively high complication rates and prolonged hospital stays. Although advantages of full endoscopic spine surgery (FESS) are well-established in lumbar disc herniations, data are limited for the endoscopic treatment of TDH despite potential benefits regarding surgical invasiveness. The aim of this study was to provide a comprehensive evaluation of potential benefits of FESS for the treatment of TDH.

METHODS

PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Scopus were systematically searched for the term "thoracic disc herniation" up to March 2023 and study quality appraised with a subsequent meta-analysis. Primary outcomes were perioperative complications, need for instrumentation, and reoperations. Simultaneously, we performed a multicenter retrospective evaluation of outcomes in patients undergoing full endoscopic thoracic discectomy.

RESULTS

We identified 3190 patients from 108 studies for the traditional thoracic discectomy meta-analysis. Pooled incidence rates of complications were 25% (95% CI 0.22-0.29) for perioperative complications and 7% (95% CI 0.05-0.09) for reoperation. In this cohort, 37% (95% CI 0.26-0.49) of patients underwent instrumentation. The pooled mean for estimated blood loss for traditional approaches was 570 mL (95% CI 477.3-664.1) and 7.0 days (95% CI 5.91-8.14) for length of stay. For FESS, 41 patients from multiple institutions were retrospectively reviewed, perioperative complications were reported in 4 patients (9.7%), 4 (9.7%) required revision surgery, and 6 (14.6%) required instrumentation. Median blood loss was 5 mL (IQR 5-10), and length of stay was 0.43 days (IQR 0-1.23).

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that full endoscopic thoracic discectomy is a safe and effective treatment option for patients with symptomatic TDH. When compared with open surgical approaches, FESS dramatically diminishes invasiveness, the rate of complications, and need for prolonged hospitalizations. Full endoscopic spine surgery has the capacity to alter the standard of care for TDH treatment toward an elective outpatient surgery.

Posterolateral approaches to the thoracic spine for calcific disc herniation: is wider exposure always better?

OBJECTIVE

To compare the costotransversectomy (CTV) and transpedicular (TP) approaches versus the transfacet (TF) approach for the surgical treatment of calcific thoracic spine herniations (cTDH), in terms of surgical and clinical outcomes.

BACKGROUND

Surgical approaches for cTDH are debated. Anterior approaches are recommended, while posterolateral approaches are preferred for non-calcific, paramedian, and lateral hernias. Currently, there is limited evidence about the superiority of a more invasive surgical approach, such as CTV or TP, over TF, a relatively less invasive approach, in terms of neurological outcome, pain, and surgical complications, for the treatment of cTDH.

METHODS

A retrospective, observational, monocentric study was conducted on patients who underwent posterolateral thoracic approaches for symptomatic cTDH, between 2010 and 2023, at our institute. Three groups were drafted, based on the surgical approach used: TF, TP, and CTV. All procedures were assisted by intraoperative CT scan, spinal neuronavigation, and intraoperative neuromonitoring. Analyzed factors include duration of surgery, amount of bone removal, intraoperative blood loss, CSF leak, need of instrumentation for iatrogenic instability, degree of disc herniation removal, myelopathy recovery. Afterwards, a statistical analysis was performed to investigate the bony resection of the superior posterior edge of the vertebral soma. The primary outcome was the partial or total herniation removal.

RESULTS

This study consecutively enrolled 65 patients who underwent posterolateral thoracic surgery for cTDH. The TF approach taking the least, and the CTV the longest time (p < 0.01). No statistical difference was observed between the three mentioned approaches, in terms of intraoperative blood loss, dural leakage, post-resection instrumentation, total herniation removal, or myelopathy recovery. An additional somatic bony resection was successful in achieving total herniation removal (p < 0.01), and the extent of bony resection was directly proportional to the extent of hernia removal (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

No statistically significant differences were highlighted between the TP, TF, and CTV regarding the extent of cTDH removal, the postoperative complications, and the neurological improvement. The described somatic bone resection achieved significant total herniation removal and was directly proportional to the preop against postop anteroposterior diameter difference.

Risk Factor Analysis of Surgery-related Complications in Primary Thoracic Spine Surgery for Degenerative Diseases and Characteristics of the Patients Also Undergoing Surgery on the Cervical and/or Lumbar Spine

STUDY DESIGN

A retrospective cohort study using prospectively collected data.

OBJECTIVE

This study primarily aimed to investigate the risk factors for surgery-related complications in primary thoracic spine surgery for degenerative diseases using a surgeon-maintained database. The secondary purpose was to elucidate the characteristics of surgically treated thoracic myelopathy that also required cervical and/or lumbar spine surgery in the study period.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

Few studies reported surgical complications and the feature of tandem spinal stenosis in thoracic myelopathy in detail because of their rarity.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study included 840 thoracic myelopathy patients undergoing primary surgery for degenerative diseases from 2012 to 2021, investigating the effects of diseases, surgical procedures, and patient demographics on postoperative neurological deterioration, dural tear, dural leakage, surgical-site infection, and postoperative hematoma. In thoracic myelopathy patients who were surgically treated and also undergoing cervical and/or lumbar surgery, we investigated the proportion, the effects of diseases, and the order and intervals between surgeries.

RESULTS

Multivariate logistic regression revealed that significant risk factors ( P <0.05) for postoperative neurological deterioration were intervertebral disk herniation [odds ratio (OR): 4.59, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.32-16.0) and degenerative spondylolisthesis (OR: 11.1, 95% CI: 2.15-57.5). Ossification of the ligamentum flavum (OR: 4.12, 95% CI: 1.92-8.86), anterior spinal fusion (OR: 41.2, 95% CI: 4.70-361), and circumferential decompression via a posterior approach (OR: 30.5, 95% CI: 2.27-410) were risk factors for dural tear. In thoracic myelopathy patients surgically treated, 37.0% also underwent degenerative cervical and/or lumbar surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Pathologies involving anterior decompression and instability increased the risk of postoperative neurological deterioration. The risk of dural tear was increased when dura mater adhesions were likely to be directly operated upon. It should be recognized that a relatively high proportion (37.0%) of surgically treated thoracic myelopathy patients also underwent cervical and/or lumbar surgery.

Clinical Outcome of Pedicle-Sparing Transfacet Diskectomy and Fusion with Segmental Instrumentation for Thoracic Disc Herniation

BACKGROUND

 Thoracic disk herniations (TDHs) are relatively rare compared with their cervical and lumbar counterparts. Posterior approaches allow for a simpler and less invasive surgery than anterior and lateral approaches. A pedicle-sparing transfacet approach was initially described in 1995, and modified in 2010. A few clinical series have reported the outcome of this procedure in patients with TDH. This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes and complications of pedicle-sparing transfacet diskectomy with interbody fusion and segmental instrumentation in patients with TDH.

METHODS

 Twenty-one consecutive patients with symptomatic TDH referred to our tertiary care center were included in this retrospective study. All patients underwent a pedicle-sparing transfacet diskectomy with polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cage interbody fusion and short segmental instrumentation. Distribution of TDH, operative duration, blood loss, Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain scores, Nurick grades, modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association (mJOA) scores, and fusion rate were assessed.

RESULTS

 All patients had single-level herniations. The most common location was T12-L1 (38.1%), followed by T11-T12 (33.3%). All patients were successfully operated on with no cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks or wrong-level surgery. The VAS scores significantly diminished from 4.9 (preoperatively) to 2 (18 months after surgery). The average mJOA score increased from 4.6 to 8.5, and the average Nurick grade decreased from 3.1 to 1.6. All patients reported significant improvement in quality of life relative to their preoperative status.

CONCLUSION

 A modified pedicle-sparing transfacet diskectomy combined with PEEK cage interbody fusion and segmental instrumentation offers a safe and less invasive approach for the treatment of TDHs.

Reliability of a Novel Classification System for Thoracic Disc Herniations

STUDY DESIGN

This is a cross-sectional survey.

OBJECTIVE

The aim was to assess the reliability of a proposed novel classification system for thoracic disc herniations (TDHs).

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

TDHs are complex entities varying substantially in many factors, including size, location, and calcification. To date, no comprehensive system exists to categorize these lesions.

METHODS

Our proposed system classifies 5 types of TDHs using anatomic and clinical characteristics, with subtypes for calcification. Type 0 herniations are small (≤40% of spinal canal) TDHs without significant spinal cord or nerve root effacement; type 1 are small and paracentral; type 2 are small and central; type 3 are giant (>40% of spinal canal) and paracentral; and type 4 are giant and central. Patients with types 1 to 4 TDHs have correlative clinical and radiographic evidence of spinal cord compression. Twenty-one US spine surgeons with substantial TDH experience rated 10 illustrative cases to determine the system's reliability. Interobserver and intraobserver reliability were determined using the Fleiss kappa coefficient. Surgeons were also surveyed to obtain consensus on surgical approaches for the various TDH types.

RESULTS

High agreement was found for the classification system, with 80% (range 62% to 95%) overall agreement and high interrater and intrarater reliability (kappa 0.604 [moderate to substantial agreement] and kappa 0.630 [substantial agreement], respectively). All surgeons reported nonoperative management of type 0 TDHs. For type 1 TDHs, most respondents (71%) preferred posterior approaches. For type 2 TDHs, responses were roughly equivalent for anterolateral and posterior options. For types 3 and 4 TDHs, most respondents (72% and 68%, respectively) preferred anterolateral approaches.

CONCLUSIONS

This novel classification system can be used to reliably categorize TDHs, standardize description, and potentially guide the selection of surgical approach. Validation of this system with regard to treatment and clinical outcomes represents a line of future study.

Technical Nuances of the Posterior Transpedicular Thoracic Diskectomy: 2-Dimensional Operative Video

Thoracic disk herniations are relatively rare when compared with cervical and lumbar disk pathology accounting for less than 3% of spinal disk herniations.1 In addition to this, a larger proportion of thoracic disk herniations are calcified making them challenging to remove because of adherence to the dura and anatomy of the thoracic spinal canal.2,3 Owing to these unique features of thoracic disk herniations, typical posterior approaches are not always feasible to provide adequate decompression of the thecal sac.4 In this video, we present a 64-year-old male patient who presented with progressive paraplegia and a large ventral, eccentric, calcified thoracic disk herniation causing severe canal stenosis. Because of the size and location of the disk, a thoracic laminectomy with costotransversectomy and pediculectomies for resection of the disk was performed. Ventral decompression was achieved, and the patient made a full neurologic recovery. This video highlights the principles and technical nuances used during thoracic disk resection. The patient provided informed consent for surgery and video recording.

Symptomatic Thoracic Disc Herniation in a 30-Year-Old Woman

Thoracic disc herniation is infrequent and presents a unique set of challenges for both diagnosis and treatment. It is an underdiagnosed entity, mainly due to the non-specific clinical manifestations. Different techniques are used for surgical treatment. This case describes a case of symptomatic thoracic disc herniation in a healthy young woman from diagnosis to surgical treatment, and it shows the importance of clinical integration and imaging studies of these cases.

Collaborative Multi-Metadata Fusion to Improve the Classification of Lumbar Disc Herniation

Computed tomography (CT) images are the most commonly used radiographic imaging modality for detecting and diagnosing lumbar diseases. Despite many outstanding advances, computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) of lumbar disc disease remains challenging due to the complexity of pathological abnormalities and poor discrimination between different lesions. Therefore, we propose a Collaborative Multi-Metadata Fusion classification network (CMMF-Net) to address these challenges. The network consists of a feature selection model and a classification model. We propose a novel Multi-scale Feature Fusion (MFF) module that can improve the edge learning ability of the network region of interest (ROI) by fusing features of different scales and dimensions. We also propose a new loss function to improve the convergence of the network to the internal and external edges of the intervertebral disc. Subsequently, we use the ROI bounding box from the feature selection model to crop the original image and calculate the distance features matrix. We then concatenate the cropped CT images, multiscale fusion features, and distance feature matrices and input them into the classification network. Next, the model outputs the classification results and the class activation map (CAM). Finally, the CAM of the original image size is returned to the feature selection network during the upsampling process to achieve collaborative model training. Extensive experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of our method. The model achieved 91.32% accuracy in the lumbar spine disease classification task. In the labelled lumbar disc segmentation task, the Dice coefficient reaches 94.39%. The classification accuracy in the Lung Image Database Consortium and Image Database Resource Initiative (LIDC-IDRI) reaches 91.82%.

Complications of Endoscopic Thoracic Spine Surgery: Overview and Complication Avoidance

In endoscopic thoracic spine surgery, adaptations of thoracic surgical techniques such as full endoscopic uniportal and biportal surgical techniques have been developed. Full endoscopic uniportal surgery for thoracic disc herniation or thoracic ossified ligamentum flavum (OLF) has been performed via transforaminal and interlaminar approaches. In the case of thoracic OLF or thoracic spinal stenosis, the uniportal interlaminar approach is appropriate. The uniportal interlaminar approach has been used to treat thoracic OLF and has shown good surgical results. Thoracic OLF removal via a biportal endoscopic technique has been developed recently and is described in a few studies. Although endoscopic thoracic spine surgery has significant advantages, complications often occur with this approach. We reviewed the literature to date on the complications associated with endoscopic spine surgery in thoracic pathology. This review emphasizes how to avoid and manage complications. Based on the results of several previous studies, endoscopic thoracic spine surgery could be associated with fewer potential complications than conventional surgery. Endoscopic spine surgery has remarkable advantages; however, endoscopic thoracic surgery is technically challenging and is potentially associated with serious complications. To minimize the risk of avoidable complications, surgeons should be familiar with prevention methods and pitfalls.

Craniomaxillofacial Trauma: The Past, Present and the Future

Reconstruction of facial trauma has seen a significant evolutionary leap in the last 100 years. The current surgical management of facial fractures was made possible by the efforts and creativity of pioneer surgeons, advances in anatomic understanding, and the continued development of biomaterials and imaging technologies. Virtual surgical planning (VSP) and 3-dimensional printing (3DP) are being incorporated into the management of acute facial trauma. The integration of this technology at the point of care is rapidly expanding globally. This article reviews the history of the management of craniomaxillofacial trauma, current practices, and future directions. The use of VSP and 3DP in facial trauma care is highlighted with a description of EPPOCRATIS, a rapid point-of-care process incorporating VSP and 3DP at the trauma center.

Anterior Access to the Cervicothoracic Junction via Partial Sternotomy: A Clinical Series Reporting on Technical Feasibility, Postoperative Morbidity, and Early Surgical Outcome

Surgical access to the cervicothoracic junction (CTJ) is challenging. The aim of this study was to assess technical feasibility, early morbidity, and outcome in patients undergoing anterior access to the CTJ via partial sternotomy. Consecutive cases with CTJ pathology treated via anterior access and partial sternotomy at a single academic center from 2017 to 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical data, perioperative imaging, and outcome were assessed with regards to the aims of the study. A total of eight cases were analyzed: four (50%) bone metastases, one (12.5%) traumatic instable fracture (B3-AO-Fracture), one (12.5%) thoracic disc herniation with spinal cord compression, and two (25%) infectious pathologic fractures from tuberculosis and spondylodiscitis. The median age was 49.9 years (range: 22-74 y), with a 75% male preponderance. The median Spinal Instability Neoplastic Score (SINS) was 14.5 (IQR: 5; range: 9-16), indicating a high degree of instability in treated cases. Four cases (50%) underwent additional posterior instrumentation. All surgical procedures were performed uneventfully, with no intraoperative complications. The median length of hospital stay was 11.5 days (IQR: 9; range: 6-20), including a median of 1 day in an intensive care unit (ICU). Two cases developed postoperative dysphagia related to stretching and temporary dysfunction of the recurrent laryngeal nerve. Both cases completely recovered at 3 months follow-up. No in-hospital mortality was observed. The radiological outcome was unremarkable in all cases, with no case of implant failure. One case died due to the underlying disease during follow-up. The median follow-up was 2.6 months (IQR: 23.8; range: 1-45.7 months). Our series indicates that the anterior approach to the cervicothoracic junction and upper thoracic spine via partial sternotomy can be considered an effective option for treatment of anterior spinal pathologies, exhibiting a reasonable safety profile. Careful case selection is essential to adequately balance clinical benefits and surgical invasiveness for these procedures.

Efficacy and Clinical Outcomes of Minimally Invasive Direct Thoracic Interbody Fusion: A Retrospective Analysis

INTRODUCTION

A unique surgical approach - the minimally invasive direct interbody fusion (MIS-DTIF) - was previously introduced in our proof-of-concept study, which included four patients who underwent thoracic interbody fusion below the scapula at the T6/7 vertebral level. However, due to the novelty of this method, a report of associated operative parameters such as pain, function, and clinical outcomes from an expanded patient cohort was needed to assess the validity of our results.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Following IRB approval, data were analyzed retrospectively from electronic health records between 2014 and 2021. Inclusion criteria were patients ≥18 years old who underwent minimally invasive thoracic interbody fusion using the MIS-DTIF technique for at least one vertebral level. The primary outcomes included demographic/radiographic features (e.g., age). Secondary outcomes included perioperative clinical features (e.g., preoperative and ≥1-year final follow-up (FFU)). Tertiary outcomes included perioperative complications. Both preoperative and FFU patient-reported pain and functional outcomes (ODI scores) were analyzed using t-tests to establish significance.  Results: A total of 13 patients who underwent MIS-DTIF surgery were observed, with eight male patients and five female patients. The average age was 49.2 years, with an average BMI of 30.5 kg/m². Of the surgeries included, the majority (69.23%) were 1-level thoracic vertebrae fusions - with 2-level fusions and ≥ 3-level fusions accounting for 15.38% and 15.38% of cases, respectively. The mean operative time was 58.9 ± 19.9 minutes, with an average fluoroscopy time of 285.7 ± 126.8 seconds and an average actual blood loss volume of 109.0 ± 79.0 mL. The average hospital length of stay was 1.1 (±1.7) days, and no clinically significant perioperative complications were observed in this patient cohort. The average follow-up period was 12.1 ± 9.6 months, with preoperative and FFU back pain visual analog scale (VAS) scores showing highly significant improvement (p<0.001). In addition to pain reduction, quality of life improvements was noted, with significant differences in some of the ODI domains between preoperative and FFU scores (p<0.05), as well as the overall total score between preoperative and FFU ODI assessment (p<0.001) - both of which reflect increased patient function and decreased disability.

CONCLUSION

This study provides further evidence for the safety and efficacy of the MIS-DTIF approach for surgical management of symptomatically refractory patients with thoracic disc herniation or stenosis owing to degenerative disc disease or compression fractures. Additionally, the data gathered suggests that this minimally invasive procedure offers many clinical benefits, including less tissue damage, decreased intraoperative blood loss, shortened surgery time, and shortened hospital length of stay. Finally, in addition to significant pain intensity improvement, this study showed that treated patients highly benefited from 'sleeping' and 'return-to-work' domains and other ODI functional domains in activities of daily living (ADLs). More clinical studies are recommended in larger patient cohorts to ascertain the findings reported in this study.

A minimally invasive tubular retractor-assisted retropleural approach for thoracic disc herniations - case series and technical note

PURPOSE

Thoracic disc herniations are uncommon and carry a high risk for neurological deterioration. Traditional surgical approaches include thoracotomy, costotransversectomy or posterior approaches with considerable morbidity. In this technical note with case series, we describe a minimally invasive tubular retractor-assisted retropleural approach for simple and less invasive microsurgical exploration of thoracic disc herniations from a lateral angle.

METHODS

Surgical technique consisted of partial rib resection and retropleural dissection followed by the placement of a tubular retractor (METRx Tubes, Medtronic) for an anterior-lateral exposure of the disc and neuroforamen. Epidemiological, clinical and surgical patient data were acquired.

RESULTS

Between 2017 and 2020, six patients were surgically treated using the minimally invasive tubular retractor-assisted retropleural approach. Microsurgical exposure of the disc and neural structures was achieved from a lateral direction without requiring thoracotomy or lung deflation. Control imaging confirmed resection in all cases without relevant residuum. As postoperative complications, one dural injury and one postoperative pneumothorax occured. No neurologic deterioration or recurrence occurred during a median follow-up of 3 months.

CONCLUSION

The described tubular retractor-assisted retropleural exposure serves as a feasible minimally invasive microsurgical approach to the anterior-lateral thoracic spine.

Incidence of lumbar discectomy during pregnancy and within 12 months post-partum in Finland between 1999 and 2017: a retrospective register-based cohort study

BACKGROUND CONTEXT

Both lumbar disc herniation in the general population and lower back pain in the pregnant population are known to be common conditions. The physiological and anatomical of the mother predispose to increased strain of the lumbar disc, whereas pregnancy may promote caution in physicians contemplating surgical care.

PURPOSE

We aimed to report the incidence of lumbar discectomy during pregnancy and 12 months postpartum in Finland between 1999 and 2017.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective register-based cohort study.

PATIENT SAMPLE

Using nationwide data from the Finnish Care Register for Health Care and the Finnish Medical Birth Register, all women aged 15 to 49 years with a lumbar discectomy or pregnancy ending in delivery from 1st January, 1999 to 31st December, 2017 were included.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Incidence rates and their 95% confidence intervals were calculated for lumbar discectomy. Incidence rate ratios (IRR) were calculated between the study population and the control population. The effect of smoking on surgery risk was reported using odds ratios.

METHODS

A retrospective statistical analysis was performed to identify patients undergoing lumbar discectomy during pregnancy or the first 12 months after delivery. Incidence rates were compared with the age-adjusted values of the age-matched female general population. The effect of smoking on the risk of lumbar discectomy was analyzed using age-adjusted odds ratios.

RESULTS

In total, 91 discectomies were performed during pregnancy and 508 within 12 months postpartum. The total incidence of lumbar discectomy during pregnancy was 11 operations per 100,000 person-years with an IRR of 0.2 (95% CI 0.1-0.2) when compared with the age-adjusted female general population. Women with active smoking before pregnancy were at a higher risk for lumbar discectomy during pregnancy (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.2-3.2). Caesarean section was more common after lumbar discectomy (22%). No perinatal mortality was observed. During the first-year postpartum the rate of lumbar discectomy increased to 47 per 100 000 person-years with an IRR of 0.7 (95% CI 0.6-0.8). 90-day reoperation rates were higher than in the general population with an IRR of 1.7 (95% CI 1.1- 2.7).

CONCLUSIONS

Lumbar discectomy during pregnancy is rare, but smoking increases the risk. Lumbar discectomy during pregnancy seems to be safe for the neonate. Postpartum incidences increased towards the end of the first year, but remained below the rates in the general population with a higher risk for short-term reoperation.

Costotransversectomy in the Surgical Treatment of Mediolateral Thoracic Disk Herniations: Long-Term Results and Recent Minimally Invasive Technical Adjuncts

Thoracic herniated disks are relatively rare. They account for approximately 2% of all intervertebral herniated disks in large series. Traditional surgery via laminectomy has frequently yielded disappointing results, although the recent literature reports that anterior calcified thoracic herniation was successfully treated with this approach. This issue has encouraged a search for alternatives, such as anterolateral, lateral, and posterolateral approaches to the thoracic spine. From January 2009 to December 2019, we selected 66 patients harboring a symptomatic median-paramedian herniated disk at the level of the thoracic spine, treated at the authors' institutions. The present experience would give further support to the use of costotrasversectomy, along with its "mini-invasive" modifications, as a suitable and safe approach for thoracic disk disease. Although we must admit that endoscopy is likely to become the gold standard of surgical method in the future and that the anterior approach with mini-toracotomy without rib removal will become popular, the future scenario could certainly reserve an important place for the approach we have used in the surgical management of this challenging spinal pathology, mainly because of the approach's versatility and short learning curve.

A challenging recurrent thoracic disc herniation

Background

Thoracic disc herniations are rare and occur at the rate of 1/1,000,000/year. Surgical approach must be individually tailored to the size, location, and consistency of the herniated disc. Notably, here, we report the unusual recurrence of a thoracic herniated disc.

Case Description

In 2014, a 53-year-old female presented with thoracic back pain, and paraparesis, attributed to an magnetic resonance imaging/computed tomography (CT)-documented left paramedian T8-T9 calcific disc herniation. She underwent a left hemilaminectomy/costotrasversectomy following which she experienced complete regression of her symptoms. Notably, the postoperative radiological studies at that time demonstrated some residual although asymptomatic calcific disc herniation. Eight years later, she again presented, but now with the chief complaint of difficulty breathing. The new CT scan showed a new calcified herniated disc fragment superimposed on the previously documented residual disc. Through a posterolateral transfacet approach, she underwent resection of the disc complex. An intraoperative CT scan confirmed complete removal of the recurrent calcified disc herniation. Following the second surgery, the patient fully recovered and remains asymptomatic.

Conclusion

A 53-year-old female first presented with a left-sided T8/T9 thoracic calcified disc herniation that was initially partially resected). When another larger fragment appeared 8 years later, superimposed on the previously documented residual disc, it was successfully removed through a posterolateral transfacet approach completed with CT guidance and neuronavigation.

Image-guided transthoracic transpedicular microdiscectomy for a giant thoracic disc herniation: patient series

BACKGROUND

This case series reports on five consecutive patients who underwent image-guided transpedicular transthoracic microdiscectomy. The authors retrospectively reviewed five patients who had undergone Stealth image-guided transpedicular transthoracic microdiscectomy between 2015 and 2021.

OBSERVATIONS

Image guidance with O-arm verified critical anatomical landmarks in the setting of large central calcified and/or soft tissue disc prolapse. This allowed limited rib head resection, pedicle removal, and corpectomy to give adequate access and not require interbody fusion. The authors performed a partial posterior corpectomy anterior to the affected disc prolapse and microsurgical delivery of the affected disc anteriorly into the corpectomy cave away from the thecal sac. Electronic and radiographic records were analyzed at their initial presentation and at follow-up. The median patient age was 51 years (range, 44-56 years), with 80% of the patients being males. Four of five patients had significant improvement of their presenting clinical symptoms. One patient had a complicated postoperative recovery with a pneumothorax and subsequent bilateral pneumonia requiring intensive care. Another patient developed delayed postoperative worsening of paraparesis.

LESSONS

The use of Stealth image guidance with O-arm for transthoracic microdiscectomy for complex calcified thoracic disc herniation is an effective operative technical adjunct to verify anatomical landmarks and limit the microsurgical procedure.

Trans-facet Pedicle Sparing Approach Versus Transthoracic Approach for Thoracic Disc Disease: A Review of 19 Cases

Background: Thoracic disc herniation is a rare illness and is mainly asymptomatic. There are some surgical approaches to treat symptomatic patients, and none has absolute dominance over the others. For this reason, there is a debate between spine surgeons to decide which method could help these patients with better efficacy and safety. Objectives: To seek the potential differences between the two of these methods, the conventional anterior transthoracic and the more recent modified transfacet approaches, we conducted this study. Methods: This is a retrospective case-series study comparing the anterior transthoracic and the modified transfacet method; each of these approaches was preferred and performed by one surgery team. Patients were divided into two groups based on the procedure and assessed using Frankel’s Score, Visual Along Scale (VAS) Score, Short-Form Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-36), and the spine functional index (SFI). Results: Eleven patients underwent a transthoracic approach, and eight patients had a posterior transfacet pedicle-sparing approach. The Frankel’s score improved at least one score in ten patients from the transthoracic group and seven patients from the transfacet pedicle-sparing group. No major difference was found between the two groups concerning SFI and SF-36 questionnaire. Conclusions: This study exhibited satisfying efficacy and safety of the modified transfacet pedicle-sparing method compared to the transthoracic approach. Both improved Frankel’s scores, SFI, and patients’ quality of life. Despite encountering some limitations, especially a small number of subjects, our study suggests that these surgical methods could be used efficiently considering the patient’s comorbidities, location of the herniated disc and its calcification, and experience and skill of the surgeon.

Diagnostic approach, therapeutic strategies, and surgical indications in intradural thoracic disc herniation associated with CSF leak, intracranial hypotension, and CNS superficial siderosis

Background and purpose

Intradural disc herniation (IDH) can manifest with radicular or medullary syndrome. In about 15% of cases, IDH may be responsible, through a dural laceration, for a CSF leak, determining spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) and CNS superficial siderosis (CNSss). This paper attempts to present an overview on IDH as the cause for both CSF leak, and subsequent SIH, and CNSss, and to describe a peculiar clinical and neuroradiological scenario related to this condition.

Methods

A search on the PUBMED database was performed. Although the investigation did not rigorously follow the criteria for a systematic review (we consider only articles about thoracic IDH), nonetheless, the best quality evidence was pursued. Furthermore, an illustrative case was presented.

Results

A 69-year-old woman was referred to our hospital for slowly progressive gait disturbances and hearing impairment. Brain imaging revealed diffuse bilateral supratentorial and infratentorial superficial siderosis, mostly of the cerebellum, the eighth cranial nerves, and the brainstem. Spinal imaging disclosed a posterior disc herniation determining a dural tear at D6-D7. Lumbar puncture revealed low opening pressure and hemorrhagic CSF with siderophages. A posterior transdural herniectomy and dural sealing determined a stabilization of hearing and a significant improvement in both gait and balance.

Conclusions

The diagnostic workup of CNSss with suspected CNS leak demands whole neuraxis imaging, especially in cases presenting SIH or myelopathic symptoms. This may avoid delays in detection of IDH and spinal dural leaks. The different forms of treatment available depend on the type and severity of the clinical picture.

Foot drop as the initial symptom caused by thoracic disc herniation

BACKGROUND

Foot drop is a syndrome resulting from weakness or paralysis of the tibialis anterior muscle. Some patients with thoracic disc herniation seek medical help complain of foot drop as the initial symptom. The study investigated the clinical characteristics of these patients and clarified the clinical efficacy after treatment.

METHODS

A total of 13 patients with foot drop as the initial symptom arising from thoracic disc herniation were collected from January 2015 to December 2020. The average follow-up period was 20.5 months. We recorded neurological functions, the tibialis anterior muscle strength, Japanese Orthopedic Association score (JOA), location of the lesion, and occupation rate of herniation in the spinal canal preoperatively and at the final follow-up.

RESULTS

None pathological reflex was found in the patients. Surgical treatment was performed in 12 of the 13 patients, and tibialis anterior functional recovery was observed in 83.4% (10/12) of the cases, with an average recovery rate of 52.8 ± 18.5%. The mean JOA score increased from 6.8 ± 1.9 points preoperatively to 8.9 ± 1.3 points postoperatively (p < 0.05), achieving a mean recovery rate of 52.3 ± 13.1%. The MRI showed the conus medullaris was obviously compressed at the level of T11-L1, and the occupation rate of herniation was more than 40% in all patients, with an average of 65.4 ± 16.3%. CT indicated that 84.6% of the cases had calcification in intervertebral discs.

CONCLUSION

Foot drop can be the initial symptom caused by thoracic disc herniation at the T11-L1 level, especially for the calcified disc herniation. A satisfactory recovery rate can be achieved by surgical decompression with fixation.

Ultrasonic spine surgery for every thoracic disc herniation: a 43-patient case series and technical note demonstrating safety and efficacy using a partial transpedicular thoracic discectomy with ultrasonic aspiration and ultrasound guidance

OBJECTIVE

Thoracic disc herniations (TDHs) are a challenging pathology. A variety of surgical techniques have been used to achieve spinal cord decompression. This series elucidates the versatility, efficacy, and safety of the partial transpedicular approach with the use of intraoperative ultrasound and ultrasonic aspiration for resection of TDHs of various sizes, locations, and consistencies. This technique can be deployed to safely remove all TDHs.

METHODS

A retrospective review was performed of patients who underwent a thoracic discectomy via the partial transpedicular approach between January 2014 and December 2020 by a single surgeon. Variables reviewed included demographics, perioperative imaging, and functional outcome scores.

RESULTS

A total of 43 patients (53.5% female) underwent 54 discectomies. The most common presenting symptoms were myelopathy (86%), motor weakness (72%), and sensory deficit (65%) with a symptom duration of 10.4 ± 11.6 months. A total of 21 (38.9%) discs were fully calcified on imaging and 15 (27.8%) were partially calcified. A total of 36 (66.7%) were giant TDHs (> 40% canal compromise). The average operative time was 197.2 ± 77.1 minutes with an average blood loss of 238.8 ± 250 ml. Six patients required ICU stays. Hospital length of stay was 4.40 ± 3.4 days. Of patients with follow-up MRI, 38 of 40 (95%) disc levels demonstrated < 20% residual disc. Postoperative Frankel scores (> 3 months) were maintained or improved for all patients, with 28 (65.1%) patients having an increase of 1 grade or more on their Frankel score. Six (14%) patients required repeat surgery, 2 of which were due to reherniation, 2 were from adjacent-level herniation, and 2 others were from wound problems. Patients with calcified TDHs had similar improvement in Frankel grade compared to patients without calcified TDH. Additionally, improvement in intraoperative neuromonitoring was associated with a greater improvement in Frankel grade.

CONCLUSIONS

The authors demonstrate a minimally disruptive, posterior approach that uses intraoperative ultrasound and ultrasonic aspiration with excellent outcomes and a complication profile similar to or better than other reported case series. This posterior approach is a valuable complement to the spine surgeon's arsenal for the confident tackling of all TDHs.

Lower Neurological Risk with Anterior Operations Compared to Posterior Operations for Thoracic Disc Herniations: Analysis of 697 Patients

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE

Compare rates of postoperative neural deficits between surgical approaches for thoracic disc herniations (TDHs).

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

Anterior and posterior approaches for TDH carry high reported neurological risk, albeit comparative risk is not well defined.

METHODS

Health Care Utilization Project (HCUP) state inpatient databases (NY, FL, CA; 2005-2014) were queried for patients who underwent TDH operation. Demographics, operative details, surgical approach, neural injury, length of stay (LOS), and discharge location were assessed. Multivariate linear regression was used to determine relative risk of neural deficit and skilled nursing facility (SNF) discharge.

RESULTS

Six hundred ninety-seven patients (mean age 52.0 yrs, 194 institutions) met inclusion. Majority of operations were elective (76.0%) and one to two levels (80.5%). Overall neural injury rate was 9.0%. Anterior operations had significantly lower rates of neural injury compared with posterior operations on univariate analysis (4.6% vs. 11.4%; P < 0.01). All multilevel operations had similarly high rates of neural injury. On multivariate analysis, posterior approaches (RR 1.78; P = 0.12) and combined approaches (RR 2.15; P = 0.17) had higher neural risk compared with anterior approaches after controlling for younger age, higher Charlson Comorbidity Index, and nonelective admissions. Combined approaches had similar neural injury rates (13.8%) to posterior operations (11.4%) and significantly longer LOS and SNF discharges compared with single approaches. Neural deficit was associated with discharge to SNF (With = 87.3%; Without = 23.7%; P < 0.01) and increased LOS (With = 12.5 days; Without = 6.9 days; P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Overall rate of neural deficit after operation for TDH was 9.0%. While anterior approach was associated with a lower neural injury rate, this association was confounded by age, Charlson Comorbidity Index, and admission type. After correcting for these confounders, a nonsignificant trend remained that favored the anterior approach. Neural deficit was associated with increased LOS and discharge to SNF postoperatively.Level of Evidence: 4.

Outpatient endoscopic resection of large calcified thoracic disc herniation with caudal displacement

Thoracic disc herniations can cause radiculopathy and myelopathy from neural compression. Surgical resection may require complex, morbid approaches. To avoid spinal cord retraction, wide exposures requiring extensive tissue, muscle, and bony disruption are needed, which may require instrumentation. Anterior approaches may require vascular surgeons, chest tube placement, and intensive care admission. Large, calcified discs or migrated fragments can pose additional challenges. Previous literature has noted the endoscopic approach to be contraindicated for calcified thoracic discs. The authors describe an ultra–minimally invasive, ambulatory endoscopic approach to resect a large calcified thoracic disc with caudal migration and avoidance of conventional approaches.

The video can be found here: https://stream.cadmore.media/r10.3171/2021.10.FOCVID2112

Sleep apnea and unilateral upper and lower extremity allodynia as a result of a large thoracic disc herniation: a case report

Background

Clinically significant disc herniations in the thoracic spine are rare accounting for approximately 1% of all disc herniations. In patients with significant spinal cord compression, presenting symptoms typically include ambulatory dysfunction, lower extremity weakness, lower extremity sensory changes, as well as bowl, bladder, or sexual dysfunction. Thoracic disc herniations can also present with thoracic radiculopathy including midback pain and radiating pain wrapping around the chest or abdomen. The association between thoracic disc herniation with cord compression and sleep apnea is not well described.

Case presentation

The following is a case of a young male patient with high grade spinal cord compression at T7-8, as a result of a large thoracic disc herniation. The patient presented with complaints of upper and lower extremity unilateral allodynia and sleep apnea. Diagnosis was only made once the patient manifested more common symptoms of thoracic stenosis including left lower extremity weakness and sexual dysfunction. Following decompression and fusion the patient’s allodynia and sleep apnea quickly resolved.

Conclusions

Thoracic disc herniations can present atypically with sleep apnea. We recommend taking into consideration that sleep symptoms may resolve when planning treatment for thoracic disc herniation.

Posterior Minimally Invasive Transpedicular Approach for Giant Calcified Thoracic Disc Herniation

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective case series.

OBJECTIVE

Posterior surgery for thoracic disc herniation was associated with increased morbidity and mortality and new minimally invasive approaches have been recommended for soft disc herniation but not for calcified central disc. The objective of this study is to describe a posterolateral microscopic transpedicular approach for central thoracic disc herniation.

METHODS

This is a single center retrospective review of all the cases of giant thoracic calcified disc herniation as defined by Hott et al. Presence of myelopathy, percentage of canal compromise, T2 hypersignal, ASIA score, and ambulatory status were recorded. This posterolateral technique using a tubular retractor was thoroughly described.

RESULTS

Eight patients were operated upon with a mean follow-up of 16 months. Mean canal compromise was 61%. Mean operative time was 228 minutes and mean operative bleeding was 250 mL. There were no cases of dural tear or neurologic degradation.

CONCLUSION

This is the first report of posterior minimally invasive transpedicular approach for giant calcified disc herniation. There were neither cases of neurological deterioration nor increased rate of dural tears. This technique is thus safe and could be recommended for treatment of this rare disease.

Herniated discs: when is surgery necessary?

In all levels of disc herniations the absolute surgical indications include deteriorating neurological deficits with myelopathy or cauda equina syndrome. However, this review summarized the relative indications for surgery in each level.

In cervical disc herniation (CDH), the indications for surgery consist of six months of persisting symptoms, not responding to conservative treatment. However, high-quality studies are lacking, and a randomized controlled trial is now underway to clarify the indications.

In thoracic disc herniation (TDH), the indications for surgery comprise failure of conservative measures and/or worsening neurological symptoms. Moreover, giant calcified thoracic disc herniations or myelopathy signs on magnetic resonance imaging, even in the absence of neurological symptoms, may benefit from surgical treatment as a preventive measure.

In lumbar disc herniation (LDH), the indications for surgery include imaging confirmation of LDH, consistent with clinical findings, and failure to improve after six weeks of conservative care.

Cite this article: EFORT Open Rev 2021;6:526-530. DOI: 10.1302/2058-5241.6.210020

Spinal navigation applied to the anterior approach for the resection of thoracic disc herniation: patient series

BACKGROUND

Thoracic disc herniation (TDH) represents a challenge for spine surgeons. The goal of this study is to report the surgical technique and clinical results concerning the application of navigation to anterior transthoracic approaches.

OBSERVATIONS

Between 2017 and 2019, 8 patients with TDH were operated in the lateral decubitus by means of mini-open thoracotomy. An adapted patient referent frame was secured to the iliac wing. The high-speed drill was also navigated. Intraoperative three-dimensional scans were used for level identification, optimized drilling trajectory, and assessment of complete resection. At 12 months follow up, all patients were ambulatory. Seven out of 8 patients (87%) experienced a postoperative neurological improvement. We observed 2 postoperative complications: 1 case of pleural effusion and 1 case of abdominal wall weakness.

LESSONS

In order to increase the safety of anterior transthoracic discectomy, the authors applied the concepts of spinal navigation to the thoracotomy setting. The advantages of this technique include decrease in wrong-level procedure, continuous matching of intraoperative and navigation anatomical findings, better exposure of the TDH, optimized vertebral body drilling, and minimized risk of neurological damage. In conclusion, the authors consider spinal navigation as an important resource for the surgical treatment of patients with TDH.

Thoracic degenerative spondylolisthesis-associated myelopathy: A case report

RATIONALE

The thoracic spine is stabilized in the anteroposterior direction by the rib cage and the facet joints, thus thoracic degenerative spondylolisthesis is very uncommon. Here, we report a rare case of thoracic degenerative spondylolisthesis in which the lower thoracic region was the only region involved.

PATIENT CONCERNS

We present the case of a 56-year-old Chinese female who suffered from thoracic degenerative spondylolisthesis. She had a 2-year history of gait disturbance and bilateral lower-extremity numbness. The initial imaging examinations revealed Grade I anterior spondylolisthesis and severe cord compression, as well as bilateral facet joint osteoarthritis at T11/12.

DIAGNOSIS

The patient was diagnosed with thoracic degenerative spondylolisthesis-associated myelopathy.

INTERVENTIONS

She underwent a posterior decompression with transforaminal thoracic interbody fusion (TTIF) at T11/12.

OUTCOMES

The patient recovered well after the operation, and MRI at 12-month follow-up revealed that spinal cord compression was relieved and high signal intensity in T2-weighted image was improved.

LESSONS

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of thoracic degenerative spondylolisthesis in which the lower thoracic region was the only region involved. Disruption of joint capsule, instability with micromotion, and degenerative disc may contribute to this rare disease. Posterior decompression with posterolateral fusion or TTIF were the main treatment modalities, however, TTIF has its unique advantages because of sufficient decompression, immediate stability and high fusion rate.

Five-Year Outcomes After Transforaminal Endoscopic Foraminotomy and Discectomy for Soft and Calcified Thoracic Disc Herniations

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and long-term clinical outcomes of transforaminal full endoscopic discectomy and foraminotomy performed with manual reamers under local anesthesia on soft and calcified herniated discs in the mid and lower thoracic spine.

METHODS

Postoperative pain relief was self-evaluated by 16 patients using a visual analog scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Patients were scored at 6, 12, 24, and 60 months after surgery.

RESULTS

Significant pain reduction of more than 50% in the VAS score was achieved in 15 out of 16 patients at all review points throughout this study. Similarly, a decrease of more than 50% in ODI scores was achieved in 15 out of 16 patients in all 4 review points. There were no surgical complications. Good postoperative results were achieved in patients regardless of the consistency of the disc herniation.

CONCLUSIONS

Transforaminal full endoscopic discectomy and foraminotomy with manual reamers performed under local anesthesia produces sustained reduction in pain and improves functionality in patients with mid and lower thoracic spine soft and calcified disc herniations. The surgery is safe and straightforward to perform with the correct training.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

4.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Thoracic transforaminal endoscopic discectomy and foraminotomy, performed in TIVA, may be a useful adjunct for treatment of patients with soft and calcified disc herniations in thoracic spine.

Risk factors associated with post-operative neurological deterioration in patients with thoracic disc disorders with myelopathy

PURPOSE

Post-operative neurological deterioration (ND) is a severe complication. However, limited literature exists on the ND in thoracic disc disorders with myelopathy (TDM). This study describes the risk factors of neurological deterioration in TDM with instrumentation and fusion.

METHODS

A single-centre review of TDM with instrumentation and fusion during 2006-2019 was performed. Post-operative neurological deterioration was defined as the deterioration of pre-existing neurological function or the appearance of new neurological symptoms. Patients were then grouped into two groups depending on neurological deterioration (ND group) or not (non-ND group). Demographics, radiographic parameters, and surgical characteristics were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

A total of 257 cases were included, and neurological deterioration occurred in 16 (6.23%) cases. Multivariate analysis revealed spinal canal occupancy ratio > 75%, U-shaped compressed spinal cord in axial MRI, calcified herniated disc, anterior approach, and intra-operative blood loss > 1500 mL were associated with ND. Ten patients (62.5%) had complete neurological recovery within six months, and four patients (25%) had progressive neurological function improvement and equal or better than pre-operation within nine months.

CONCLUSIONS

The rate of neurological deterioration is 6.23%, and a higher spinal canal occupancy ratio, U-shaped compressed spinal cord, calcified herniated disc, anterior approach, and massive intra-operative blood loss were associated with neurological deterioration. Long-term outcomes of neurological deterioration are favourable, and 62.5% of patients experienced complete neurological recovery within six months. Patients with TMD who undergo surgery should be properly informed of the potential risks of neurological deterioration, despite its usually transient nature in most patients.

Radiographic and clinical features of thoracic disk disease associated with myelopathy: a retrospective analysis of 257 cases

PURPOSE

To analyze the clinical and radiographic characteristics of thoracic disk disease associated with myelopathy (TDM).

METHODS

This is a retrospective clinical review of prospectively collected imaging data based at a single institute. Based on preoperative CT and MRI, we classified TDM as thoracic disk herniation (TDH), THD with ossification (THDO), TDH with posterior bony avulsions of the vertebrae (TDH with PBA), TDH with posterior vertebral osteophytes (TDH with PVO), giant thoracic osteophyte and calcific discitis with herniation (CDH). Patient characteristics and radiographic data were compared between different types of TDM.

RESULTS

Among the 257 patients included, 12.06% of patients presented with symptoms after traumatic events. The most frequent complaint at onset and preoperative was back pain (29.2%) and subjective lower limb weakness (75.5%), respectively. All TDH with PBA is distributed at the lower thoracic segments, while CDH predominantly in the middle and lower thoracic segments. TDH with PBA was more frequent in men than TDH and CDH. Compared with TDH, TDHO, and TDH with PVO, TDH with PBA was younger in surgery age, and TDH and CDH had lower preoperative JOA scores than TDH with PBA. CDH had a larger ventral occupying ratio than TDH, TDHO, and TDH with PBA.

CONCLUSIONS

The onset of TDM was generally insidious but may be triggered acutely by apparently trivial events. With a low prevalence, TDM varied clinical symptoms. Different types of TDM had various clinical features, which might indicate different pathological mechanisms.

[Lateral retropleural and retrodiaphragmatic approach in patients with spine trauma and diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis]

BACKGROUND

Retropleural and/or retrodiaphragmatic approach is one of the options for anterolateral access to the thoracic spine and thoracolumbar region. This technique has no disadvantages associated with thoracotomy or extensive tissue dissection following posterolateral approaches.

OBJECTIVE

Systematic analysis of foreign and national researches devoted to the possibility, safety and effectiveness of lateral retropleural approach to the thoracic spine and meta-analysis of the most common complications associated with this approach.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Initial searching revealed 133 abstracts for further study. Inclusion criteria: 1) available full-text version of the manuscript in English or Russian; 2) age of patients over 18 years; 3) description of lateral retropleural or retrodiaphragmatic approach complicated or not complicated by access-associated complications. According to these criteria, we enrolled 10 manuscripts.

RESULTS

Meta-analysis showed high (10.6%) probability of pleural injury associated with surgical approach. Compared to endoscopic transthoracic interventions, the above-mentioned access is characterized by similar or slightly greater blood loss (401.2 ml vs. 100-775 ml) and slightly longer surgery time (200.5 vs. 97.5-186 min) that may be due to small number of interventions and relatively little experience of such operations. The number of patients with approach-related complications is comparable to that for endoscopic transthoracic access (5% vs. 3.7-13.3%). Compared to transthoracic minithoracotomy, this approach is characterized by similar blood loss (401.2 vs. 391 ml), longer surgery time (200.5 vs. 168 min) and similar or lower morbidity (5% vs. 5-13.5%).

CONCLUSION

Minimally invasive anterolateral retropleural and/or retrodiaphragmatic approach to the thoracic spine and thoracolumbar junction for corpectomy and discectomy ensures effective spinal canal decompression and less incidence of complications following open or thoracoscopic thoracic spine surgery. Dissection of parietal pleura should be of special attention because injury of this structure occurs in 10.6% of cases. Skin incision 7.1 cm and rib resection for at least 5 cm may be valuable to prevent plural damage.

Outcome and negative events in thoracic disc herniation surgery: a Danish registry study

BACKGROUND

Thoracic disc herniation (TDH) is a surgically demanding entity. Various surgical approaches have been developed and advanced in an attempt to achieve sufficient outcomes and reduce consecutive complication rates. Still, controversy exists regarding selecting the best surgical approach. This retrospective study aims to support decision-making regarding surgical approach.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective analysis of 71 patients who underwent thoracic discectomy at Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark, between 1996 and 2015. Patients were divided into two groups depending on whether a lateral approach or a posterior approach was used. Data on demographics, symptomatology, peri- and post-operative events, length of hospitalization and discharge disposition were assembled from medical records.

RESULTS

Lateral and posterior approach had an approximately equal peri-operative event rate (39% versus 36%), whereas the lateral approach was associated with a higher post-operative event rate in-hospital and post-discharge than the posterior approach (50% versus 18%; 45% versus 40%). The overall probability of improvement in clinical outcome regardless approach at follow-up was 77% in the short-term and 80% in the long-term. Odds of clinical improvement at any time point was 29% higher with the lateral approach than with the posterior approach (OR = 1.29, 95% CI: 0.52-3.21, p = .76). Adjusting for time, the odds of clinical improvement at short-term follow-up was twice as high for the lateral than for the posterior approach (OR = 2.16, 95% CI: 0.16-30.11); however, the trend seems to fade away over time (OR = 1.10, 95% CI: 0.07-17.55).

CONCLUSIONS

The probability of improving after TDH surgery is good. However, a clear conclusion regarding the best surgical approach cannot be established; thus, surgeons should consider pros and cons of each approach when allocating a patient to surgery.

Thoracic Disc Herniation Manifesting as Abdominal Pain Alone Associated with Thoracic Radiculopathy

Symptomatic thoracic disc herniation (TDH) with thoracic radiculopathy alone is an extremely rare condition. Here, we report a rare case of TDH in a 52-year-old man who presented with medically refractory severe right flank pain. Based on pain distribution, pain intensity changes according to truncal position, ineffectiveness of intercostal nerve block, and radiological findings, his pain was determined to be caused by TDH at T9-10 level. Symptomatic TDH often requires invasive surgery. However, TDH with radiculopathy alone can be treated via a posterior approach without spinal cord manipulation or spinal fusion. We could eliminate the pain by removing TDH with hemilaminectomy and microdiscectomy using an O-arm-based navigation system.

Transforaminal Thoracic Interbody Fusion for Thoracic Disc Prolapse: Surgicoradiological Analysis of 18 Cases

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective observational study.

OBJECTIVES

Thoracic disc prolapse (TDP) surgeries have reported complications ranging from paraplegia to approach related complications. This study is to present a series of TDP patients surgically treated with transforaminal thoracic interbody fusion (TTIF). Emphasis on surgical technique and strategies to avoid complications are analyzed.

METHODS

Eighteen patients with TDP were included. Imagings were analyzed for end-plate changes and calcification. Type of disc prolapse (central/para-central) and percentage of canal occupancy were noted. Objective outcome was quantified with Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), modified Nurick's grade, and ASIA (American Spinal Injury Association) score. All complications were noted.

RESULTS

Eighteen patients (average age 43.65 years) having total 22 levels operated, that included double level (n = 2) and missed level (n = 2) are reported. All patients had myelopathy. Calcification of disc (n = 13), central disc prolapses (n = 9), para-central (n = 11) and more than 50% canal occupancy (n = 8) were noted. VAS back pain, modified Nurick's grade and ASIA grade improved significantly in all patients. One patient had postoperative transient deficit. The functional score achieved its maximum at 1 year follow-up and remained static at final follow-up of 65.05 months. Union was achieved in all patients.

CONCLUSIONS

The most important factor for outcome in TDP is the technical aspect of avoiding cord manhandling and avoiding wrong level surgeries. TTIF is not devoid of complications but can give good results to posterior approach trained surgeons.

Transforaminal endoscopic thoracic discectomy with foraminoplasty for the treatment of thoracic disc herniation

Background

Symptomatic thoracic disc herniation (TDH) is a rare clinical entity and surgical intervention for it is even more uncommon. Despite several surgical techniques being described for thoracic discectomy, considering the unique surgical challenges, none of them have been accepted universally. Minimally invasive techniques have brought in a paradigm shift in the management of cervical/lumbar spinal disorders and similar techniques have been extrapolated to the thoracic region too. The purpose of this paper is to describe our technique, surgical experience, and the clinical results of transforaminal endoscopic thoracic discectomy (TETD).

Methods

Consecutive patients who underwent TETD (2001-2018) were reviewed. Patients who had a minimum of 6 months of follow-up, and without cervical and lumbar spine surgery or trauma during the follow-up period were included in the study. TETD was performed in patients who presented with symptomatic disc herniation of the thoracic spine and did not respond to conservative treatments. Patients with calcified disc herniation or concomitant ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) were excluded. Under local anesthesia and intravenous sedation, a 4.7-mm endoscope (TESSYS, Joimax GmbH, Germany) was introduced via transforaminal approach with foraminoplasty using reamer. Patient outcome was evaluated using visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI) scores. Patient satisfaction was measured using Macnab's criteria.

Results

Ninety-two consecutive patients (mean age was 48.9 years, 57 males) who underwent TETD from 2001 to 2018 met the inclusion criteria. Patients underwent surgery at different levels: 16 patients for T2-3 to T5-6 level, 41 cases for T6-7 to T8-9, and 35 patients for T9-10 to T12-L1. During follow-up for an average of 38.4 months, all patients showed a significant improvement of pain (7.6 to 1.6 in VAS and 68.2 vs. 13.2 for ODI, P<0.05 for both). There was one patient who had transient motor weakness.

Conclusions

TETD for soft, paramedian or lateral symptomatic TDH is a feasible and effective minimally invasive treatment option with favorable clinical results.

A Novel, Minimally Invasive Hybrid Technique to Approach Intracanal Herniated Thoracic Discs

BACKGROUND

Multiple options exist for thoracic disc herniation (TDH). However, when a specific technique is chosen, the goal is to avoid the manipulation of the spinal cord, which is already compressed.

OBJECTIVE

To describe a hybrid endoscopic technique for intracanal TDH by combining an oblique paraspinal approach (OPA) and transforaminal full-endoscopic discectomy.

METHODS

We describe the step-by-step operative technique and present the clinical and radiological outcomes of a case series of hybrid endoscopic thoracic discectomy.

RESULTS

A total of 3 patients were treated. We observed the usefulness of an OPA to enlarge the intervertebral foramen through the rigid tubular retractor and the feasibility of a full-endoscopic transforaminal approach to reach intracanal TDHs.

CONCLUSION

Early experience with the hybrid endoscopic technique for TDHs demonstrated acceptable clinical and radiological outcomes in the 3 patients treated; however, a larger sample size and a methodologically advantageous study to compare this procedure with conventional options are necessary to probe the full benefits of the hybrid technique.

Percutaneous Endoscopic Thoracic Discectomy in the Upper and Midthoracic Spine: A Technical Note

Despite the successful application of percutaneous endoscopic thoracic discectomy (PETD), its technical feasibility and outcomes for symptomatic upper and midthoracic disc herniation have not been reported yet. The purpose of this article was to evaluate the feasibility of the percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic approach to remove disc herniations in the upper and midthoracic spine. Fourteen consecutive patients (mean age, 42.4 years; 12 males, 2 females) who underwent PETD were included in the analysis. The procedure was performed under local anesthesia and intravenous sedation using the standard endoscopy instrument set. The transforaminal approach combined with foraminoplasty was used to access the herniated areas. Treatment outcomes were evaluated using visual analogue scale (VAS) scores, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores, and the modified MacNab criteria. Four discectomies were performed at T2–3, 5 at T3–4, and 5 at T5–6. The mean follow-up period was 43.4 months, and all patients showed statistically significant postoperative improvement (VAS: 7.3 to 2.3, ODI: 53.5 to 16.9, p<0.05 for all). No serious complications were reported during follow-up. PETD for upper and midthoracic disc herniation is a feasible and effective minimally invasive treatment option with favorable clinical results.