Lumbar Disc Herniation during Pregnancy: A Case Report and Literature Review

Low back pain during pregnancy is common. However, lumbar disc herniation in pregnancy is rare, and when severe, it can cause lower extremity pain that resists conservative treatment or lead to cauda equina syndrome. In this report, we describe a case of severe lower back pain that did not improve with conservative treatment, necessitating surgery at 12 weeks of gestation. Additionally, we reviewed the literature. A 35-year-old woman, 7 weeks pregnant, presented to our outpatient clinic with right lower extremity pain. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a herniated disc at the right L4/5. Acetaminophen, a pregnancy-safe analgesic was prescribed. Despite initiating treatment, the pain persisted, and the patient was hospitalized for bed rest. After one month of conservative treatment with no relief, a repeat magnetic resonance imaging showed an enlarged herniated disc. After consulting with the patient and her family, surgery was performed at Kobe University Hospital, which offers comprehensive neurosurgery, obstetrics and gynecology, and anesthesiology services. At 12 weeks of gestation, the patient underwent a microscopic discectomy in the prone position under general anesthesia. Fluoroscopy for surgical level confirmation was minimized. The surgery lasted approximately 1 hour, and the right lower extremity pain was alleviated. Five months later, the patient delivered a healthy child. We report a case of surgery for a herniated disc during pregnancy, along with a review of the literature.