We report a 72-year-old patient with thoracic myelopathy due to isolated ossification of the ligamentum flavum at T9-T10. Severe paraparesis had developed before the lesion was identified when thinning of a segment of the lower thoracic spinal cord was suspected on a second MRI examination. The diagnosis was then established by CT

There have been a few reports of patients with a combination of lumbar and thoracic spinal stenosis. We describe six patients who suffered unexpected acute neurological deterioration at a mean of 7.8 days (6 to 10) after lumbar decompressive surgery. Five had progressive weakness and one had recurrent pain in the lower limbs. There was incomplete recovery following subsequent thoracic decompressive surgery.

The neurological presentation can be confusing. Patients with compressive myelopathy due to lower thoracic lesions, especially epiconus lesions (T10 to T12/L1 disc level), present with similar symptoms to those with lumbar radiculopathy or cauda equina lesions. Despite the rarity of this condition we advise that patients who undergo lumbar decompressive surgery for stenosis should have sagittal whole spine MRI studies pre-operatively to exclude proximal neurological compression.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2013;95-B:1388–91.

Thoracic spinal cord herniation is a relatively uncommon syndrome of anterior hemi cord dysfunction. However it has been reported in literature with increasing frequency over the last decade. Since the initial description of this clinical entity by Weitzman et al. in 1974, more than 100 cases have been described. Although clinical features may vary considerably, as a clinical syndrome it is now widely recognized, and remains a potentially treatable cause of thoracic cord dysfunction. Anterior spinal or thoracic cord herniation remains an uncommon yet a potentially treatable cause of thoracic myelopathy. Patients usually present in their middle ages, and literature suggests that there is a female predominance. The presenting symptom is usually a Brown Sequard syndrome, although other symptoms suggestive of thoracic cord dysfunction may be present. Although the symptoms are insidious the condition may lead to progressive paraparesis. The herniation is usually through a dural defect, the cause of which open to speculation. Operative treatment is advised, as the outcomes are generally favourable. As part of a continued focus on this clinical syndrome we describe below a series of 4 patients with thoracic spinal cord hernias that presented to our neurosurgical service over the past 3 years and our experience in the treatment of this condition. Apart from one patient, in whom there possibly was an iatrogenic factor, the rest were all purely idiopathic. All the patients underwent surgical treatment and their outcomes were generally favorable

The October 2023 Spine Roundup³⁶⁰ looks at: Cutting through surgical smoke: the science of cleaner air in spinal operations; Unlocking success: key factors in thoracic spine decompression and fusion for ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament; Deep learning algorithm for identifying cervical cord compression due to degenerative canal stenosis on radiography; Surgeon experience influences robotics learning curve for minimally invasive lumbar fusion; Decision-making algorithm for the surgical treatment of degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis of L4/L5; Response to preoperative steroid injections predicts surgical outcomes in patients undergoing fusion for isthmic spondylolisthesis.

Aims

The aim of this study is to test the hypothesis that three grades of sagittal compensation for standing posture (normal, compensated, and decompensated) correlate with health-related quality of life measurements (HRQOL).

Multiple thoracic disc herniations are rare and there are few reports in the literature. Between December 1998 and July 2002, we operated on 12 patients with multiple thoracic disc herniations. All underwent an anterior decompression and fusion through a transthoracic approach. The clinical outcomes were assessed using the Frankel neurological classification and the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score. Under the Frankel classification, two patients improved by two grades (C to E), one patient improved by one grade (C to D), while nine patients who had been classified as grade D did not change. The JOA scores improved significantly after surgery with a mean recovery rate of 44.8% ± 24.5%. Overall, clinical outcomes were excellent in two patients, good in two, fair in six and unchanged in two. Our results indicate that anterior decompression and fusion for multiple thoracic disc herniations through a transthoracic approach can provide satisfactory results.