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Lumbar disc herniation in adolescence
Serdar Ozgen1, Deniz Konya, O Zafer Toktas
1Department of Neurosurgery, Marmara University Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
Pediatric Neurosurgery
|March 6, 2007
Summary
Lumbar disc herniation is rare in adolescents but often linked to trauma or sports. Surgical outcomes for adolescent lumbar disc herniation can be satisfactory with careful patient selection.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedics
- Neurosurgery
- Pediatric Spine Surgery
Background:
- Lumbar disc herniation (LDH) is infrequent in the adolescent population.
- Adolescent LDH presents unique diagnostic and management challenges compared to adults.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate radiological, clinical, and surgical features of adolescent LDH.
- To assess case outcomes in surgically treated adolescents.
- To compare adolescent LDH characteristics with adult cases.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 17 surgically treated adolescent cases (1998-2003).
- Mean follow-up duration of 60 months.
- Analysis of patient history, trauma, sports activity, and presenting symptoms.
Main Results:
- 82% of cases involved trauma or intense sports.
- Low back pain was the most common complaint (88%).
- No major symptoms reported during follow-up; patients returned to sports/work.
Conclusions:
- Adolescent LDH exhibits distinct features compared to adult cases.
- Thorough assessment is crucial to prevent misdiagnosis and inappropriate surgery.
- Carefully selected adolescent patients can achieve satisfactory surgical outcomes with discectomy.
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