Transthoracic Surgical Treatment for Centrally Located Thoracic Disc Herniations Presenting With Myelopathy

Abstract

Thoracotomy for treatment of centrally located thoracic disc herniations is associated with improvement in or stabilization of myelopathic symptoms in the majority of patients with an acceptable rate of complications. Interestingly, most patients with weakness improved in strength (12/16, 75%), no patients with normal strength developed new weakness (10/10, 100%), and only 2 patients had new weakness noted postoperatively (7.4%).