Thoracic disc herniation treated by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery: case report.

Clinically, thoracic disc herniation occurs much less frequently than herniation in the cervical or lumbar regions, and accounts for only 0.15 to 1.8% of all intervertebral discs treated surgically. Classically, open thoracotomy is the standard procedure for thoracic disc herniation, but this type of surgery can cause prolonged postoperative wound pain that jeopardizes the mechanism of respiration and postoperative rehabilitation. We report the case of a 41-year-old woman with a symptomatic T11-T12 thoracic disc herniation and cord compression. Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) was performed to remove the herniated disc successfully. Intraoperatively, there was no injury to vital organs or the spinal cord. The total operating time was 3.5 hours, and the estimated blood loss was 400 ml. Postoperatively, the incisional pain was minimal, and no intercostal neuralgia was noted. At her 2-year follow-up examination, she was fully ambulatory and free of pain. This type of minimally invasive procedure is a good alternative to the classic thoracotomy and proved to be a safe and effective procedure for this patient.