Intra-radicular lumbar disc herniation: report of two cases.

STUDY DESIGN

A case report.

OBJECTIVES

To report two cases of intra-radicular disc herniation.

SETTING

Kocatepe University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Afyon, Turkey, Vakif Gureba Training Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery, Istanbul, Turkey and Yeditepe University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Istanbul, Turkey.

METHODS

Two cases with intra-radicular disc herniation at L2-3 level in one, and at L5-S1 level in the other were presented. Both patients were admitted with complaints of severe leg pain and motor weakness. In both cases, intra-radicular disc herniation was diagnosed during surgery.

RESULTS

The patients had uneventful recovery. They had no complaints or neurological deficits 6 and 3 months after surgery, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The possibility of an intradural disc herniation should be kept in mind for the success of the management of lumbar disc herniation. In some patients who did not benefit from surgery, intra-radicular or intradural disc herniations may be the cause of failure.