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Published on: October 14, 2022
Lumbar disc herniation in teenagers.
L Ferrante1, L Mastronardi, P Lunardi
1University of Rome La Sapienza, Department of Neurological Sciences and Neurosurgery, Rome, Italy.
Summary
Teenagers undergoing surgery for lumbar disc herniation experience fewer instances of low-back pain but similar sensorimotor deficits compared to adults. Surgical outcomes for adolescents with lumbar disc herniation are notably better than for adults.
Area of Science:
- Neurosurgery
- Orthopedics
- Pediatric Spine Surgery
Background:
- Lumbar disc herniation (LDH) is increasingly diagnosed in adolescents.
- Understanding clinical presentations and outcomes in this age group is crucial for effective management.
- Limited comparative data exists between adolescent and adult LDH surgical outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze clinical and diagnostic features of LDH in patients aged 13-20 years.
- To compare surgical outcomes of LDH in teenagers versus adults.
- To identify specific characteristics of adolescent LDH.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 48 surgically treated adolescent patients (13-20 years) with LDH.
- Comparison with literature data from over 900 juvenile and 11,000 adult LDH cases.
- Evaluation of clinical symptoms, diagnostic findings, and long-term surgical results.
Main Results:
- Low-back pain was less frequent as an initial symptom and at diagnosis in teenagers.
- Sensorimotor deficits occurred with similar frequency in adolescents and adults.
- Herniation was more common at L4-L5 and more frequently median in teenagers.
- Long-term surgical results were superior in adolescents compared to adults.
Conclusions:
- Adolescent lumbar disc herniation presents with distinct clinical features, notably less back pain.
- Surgical intervention for LDH in teenagers yields better long-term outcomes than in adults.
- These findings highlight the need for age-specific considerations in diagnosing and treating LDH.
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