[Intervertebral disk displacement in children and young adults]

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Pediatric Orthopedics
• Spinal Surgery

Background:

• Lumbar intervertebral disc prolapses are uncommon in children and adolescents.
• Surgical intervention is sometimes necessary for pediatric disc herniations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report on the surgical treatment outcomes for pediatric patients with lumbar disc prolapses.
• To analyze the diagnostic methods and histological findings in this patient cohort.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 10 children and adolescents undergoing surgery for lumbar disc prolapse.
• Preoperative diagnosis based on medical history, neurological examination, and lumbar spine X-rays.
• Dimer-X myelography indicated in specific cases without radicular neurological deficits or clear X-ray abnormalities.
• Histological examination of surgically removed disc material.

Main Results:

• All 10 patients had surgically treated lumbar intervertebral disc prolapses.
• Histological analysis revealed highly degenerative changes in the removed disc tissue for all patients.
• No reliable signs of traumatic etiology were found for the intervertebral disc prolapses.

Conclusions:

• Degenerative changes are a significant factor in pediatric lumbar disc prolapses, even in young patients.
• Diagnostic workup should include thorough neurological assessment and imaging, with myelography considered when indicated.
• The etiology of disc prolapse in this pediatric group appears predominantly degenerative rather than traumatic.