Anterior Cervical Disc Herniation Presenting as Instability and Minimal Dysphagia: A Case Report. |
Dae Yong Kim, Yong Seok Park, Ju Ho Jeong |
Department of Neurosurgery, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea. ykimdy@hanmail.net |
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Abstract |
Few symptomatic anterior cervical disc herniations have been found in the literatures. We describe a rare case of an anterior cervical disc herniation presenting as instability and minimal dysphagia. A 62-year-old man presented with a 3-months history of axial neck pain and minimal dysphagia that did not respond to a conservative treatment.
Preoperative plain X-rays of the cervical spine revealed loss of normal lordotic curvature with no definite narrowing of the disc spaces. Flexion/extension radiographs of the cervical spine revealed segmental instability as angular motion greater than 11 degree between adjacent segment at C5-6. Cervical magnetic resonance (MR) imaging revealed a 1.7 x 0.8 cm extruded disc in the left anterior aspect of the C5-6 disc space on axial T2-weighted images and an anteriorly extruded disc with the base at the C5-6 disc, which displaced the esophagus anteriorly on sagittal T2-weighted images. The patient underwent on a cervical disc removal, followed by stabilization of the C5 and C6 via the anterior approach. Preoperative complaints were resolved completely after the surgery. He remained symptom-free 9 months after the surgery. |
Keywords:
Herniated disc;Instability;Dysphagia |
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