Herniated disk in adolescents

Twenty-one patients (9 female and 12 male) aged from 13 to 22 years were observed for lumbago and lumbo-sciatica caused by a discopathy which was subsequently confirmed by radiology and surgery. None of these patients had a history of trauma. It must be underlined that the painful symptoms exhibited and the young age of the patients suggest such pathologies as infections, tumours or malformations, but the possibility of discopathy must always be considered. It is also interesting to note the differences observed in symptomatology between adults and adolescents and to consider the various pathogenetic factors which might cause discopathy in adolescents while it was until now believed to be reserved to adults.