Gerster J C, Perez-Sawka I, de Tribolet N
Service de rhumatologie, médecine physique et réhabilitation, CHUV, Lausanne.
Schweiz Med Wochenschr. 1990 May 26;120(21):798-800.
Thoracic discal hernia is a rare condition which in most cases is associated with radiologic calcifications of the disc, the nature of which remains unclear. However, it is generally accepted that the calcifications consist of apatite. In our observation a calcified discal hernia caused progressive paraparesis. The fact that it occurred in a patient with diffuse chondrocalcinosis suggests that the discal calcification could be due to calcium pyrophosphate deposition.