Thoracic disk herniation in an 82-year-old patient. Treatment with the transpedicular approach.

A rare case of thoracic disk herniation in an 82-year-old female is reported. The patient was referred with a 2-month history of weakness and paresthesia of her left leg. On examination she had a severe paresis of the left leg and mild paresis of the right leg. Myelography and magnetic resonance imaging showed a T10-T11 disk herniation. The unilateral transpedicular approach was used and a large prolapse was surgically removed. The patient made an uneventful recovery and her neurologic function recovered to almost normal.