Idiopathic spinal cord herniation associated with intervertebral disc extrusion: a case report and review of the literature

Abstract

Study design: A case of idiopathic spinal cord herniation is reported, and the literature is reviewed.

Objective: To report a case of thoracic spinal cord herniation with a ventral dural defect, probably caused by thoracic disc extrusion.

Summary of background data: Recently, reports of spinal cord herniation have been increasing. This increase can be attributed to the development of magnetic resonance imaging and increased awareness of this entity. However, the cause of the ventral dural defect remains unknown.

Methods: A 54-year-old woman had experienced Brown-Séquard syndrome for 2 years. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated an S-shaped anterior kinking of the spinal cord, with dilation of the dorsal subarachnoid space.

Results: After incision of the dural sac and gentle retraction of the spinal cord, a dural defect was recognized into which the spinal cord had herniated. An extruded disc was visualized through the defect at T3-T4. The ventral dural defect and the dorsal incision of the dural sac were repaired with a fascial graft from the thigh.

Conclusions: Intraoperative findings suggest that the thoracic disc herniation in the current case was the probable cause of the ventral dural defect. Surgical reconstruction using double fascial graft under careful spinal cord monitoring resulted in a satisfactory neurologic recovery.