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Spine
intermediate
X-Type

Thoracic Disc Herniation

Thoracic Spine

A 52-year-old woman presents with progressive difficulty walking over 6 months. She describes band-like chest tightness and numbness in both legs. Examination reveals increased tone in both lower limbs, hyperreflexia with ankle clonus, upgoing plantars bilaterally, and a sensory level at T8. MRI shows a large central T7-8 disc herniation causing significant cord compression. Regarding thoracic disc herniation:

Mark each as TRUE or FALSE

A

Thoracic disc herniations are rare (less than 1% of all disc herniations) but can cause significant ...

B

The thoracic spinal cord is particularly vulnerable to compression because the thoracic canal is nar...

C

Thoracic disc herniations are common (20% of all disc herniations); they occur most frequently in th...

D

Posterior laminectomy alone is contraindicated for central thoracic disc herniation because it requi...

E

Surgical outcomes are variable; myelopathic patients may stabilize or improve, but complete recovery...

Answer the questions to see explanations

Click T (True) or F (False) for each option