Spinal stenosis and disc herniation in a 14-year-old male. A case report

Spinal stenosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of disc disease when evaluating an adolescent presenting with unrelenting back and leg pain. Although they typically exhibit mechanical signs alone without neurological findings, they nevertheless may prove more vulnerable to rapidly progressive neurological changes. If motor deficits occur, protracted courses of conservative care should be avoided, and proper surgical management considered. Our recent experience with a 14-year-old boy with disc disease and stenosis indicated that aggressive surgical management facilitates a rapid return to an asymptomatic existence.