Abra-ka-diskus: Vanishing Calcified Herniated Thoracic Disk

World Neurosurg. 2023 Dec:180:146-148.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2023.09.102. Epub 2023 Sep 30.

Abstract

Herniated thoracic disk has an incidence of 1/1 million. Treatment options for a calcified herniated disk include conservative management or diskectomy with or without fusion. We describe a patient who presented a year ago with a 5-month history of back pain, thoracic radiculopathy, and normal physical examination. Imaging revealed a giant calcified herniated thoracic disk at T10-T11. She underwent epidural steroid injections and chiropractic manipulation. Imaging obtained at 1-year follow-up showed near-complete resorption of the calcified thoracic disk.

Keywords: Calcified herniated disc; Resorption; Thoracic herniation.

MeSH terms

  • Back Pain / complications
  • Diskectomy / methods
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Intervertebral Disc Displacement* / complications
  • Intervertebral Disc Displacement* / diagnostic imaging
  • Intervertebral Disc Displacement* / surgery
  • Radiculopathy* / etiology
  • Thoracic Vertebrae / diagnostic imaging
  • Thoracic Vertebrae / surgery