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Updated: Jun 25, 2026
07:25
Ovine Lumbar Intervertebral Disc Degeneration Model Utilizing a Lateral Retroperitoneal Drill Bit Injury
Published on: May 25, 2017
Foraminal disc herniation Th9-Th10 mimicking abdominal pain
Patrick Fransen1, Frédéric Collignon, Bernard Van Den Heule
1Department of Neurosurgery, Clinique du Parc Léopold, Brussels, Belgium. p.fransen@neurobrussels.be
Acta Orthopaedica Belgica
|February 12, 2009
Summary
Far-lateral thoracic disc herniations (TDH) can mimic abdominal pain. A minimally invasive microscopic transfacet approach successfully treated a calcified intraforaminal TDH, relieving nerve root compression and pain.
Area of Science:
- Neurosurgery
- Spinal Surgery
- Radiology
Background:
- Thoracic disc herniations (TDH) are rare and typically present with pain or myelopathy.
- Wide lateral TDH, including intraforaminal and extraforaminal types, account for only 6% of cases.
Observation:
- A 52-year-old patient experienced chronic mid-thoracic pain radiating to the left 9th and 10th ribs.
- CT scan revealed a far-lateral calcified TDH at the left Th9-Th10 neuroforamen, compressing the nerve root, after other abdominal pathologies were ruled out.
Findings:
- A microscopic transfacet approach was utilized, involving drilling the Th9-Th10 facet joint to access the neuroforamen.
- A soft, calcified herniated disc was successfully removed, decompressing the nerve root.
Implications:
- Intraforaminal TDH can present with atypical symptoms, potentially mimicking abdominal pain.
- Calcified TDH, even when appearing hard, can be soft and resectable via simpler, minimally invasive techniques.
- The microscopic transfacet route is an effective minimally invasive option for treating far-lateral TDH.
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